A Hollow Feeling
by Parcasious
Summary: Born through fire, and tempered in battle. A blade of the weak, and a blade of the strong. In life, I sought out to be a hero. In death...
1. Chapter 1

I never really considered why, or how it was that I was able to see ghosts ever since I could remember. Then again, I never really considered why it was that I dreamt of blades either. It came naturally to me, they calling me as if they were always meant to be there on that hill of swords. On that desolate hill where the broad shouldered back of a man who peered up at the horizon lost in thought could be seen. Perhaps I should have contemplated it more, but perhaps not. After all, it was in my dreams where I felt complete, whole. I had always felt it in my daily life, that I was missing an important part of myself which made me who I was, but for the love of god, I just did not know...

* * *

"Shirou-nii, play!" A young orange haired boy said to me, a strawberry plushie flailing around in his right hand; said plushie was old and worn from continues use. The boy wore a set of blue pajamas that fully encompassed his short frame. The clutter of little steps was all I heard before said boy was at my side; persistently tapping at my arm.

"Sorry Ichigo, but I have to finish this." I said, my gaze on the stack of papers next to me that wouldn't disappear no matter how much I willed them to. Homework, I never really liked it, but that didn't mean that my mother couldn't persuade me to do it. She was a gentle woman of loving character and charm. Whenever she smiled at me, I couldn't find it in me to deny her and upset her. Although the same could be said for my father, it took a greater deal of time.

Ichigo pouted, his gaze on the floor, and his foot kicking at his spare stationary chair that creaked whenever he sat on it. "But-but..." Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed, a frown marring his face as he looked up. "Please?" He held out his strawberry plushie for me to take.

In spite of my homework being in front of me and my concentration at its max, I could do little to appease the sentimental value of what Ichigo had just done.

I promised him; promised him that whenever he was sad or lonely, that he need only lend me the strawberry plushie which I had given him on the day he was born. It served as temporary tribute, for I could not simply let Ichigo run to me for all his troubles; all of his misgivings that he would have to be able to solve by himself in the future - that was then, and this is now however.

Gingerly, I plucked the strawberry plushie from Ichigo's hands, noticing the slight whimper in his bottom lip whenever he was separated from said plushie. I patted his head, and he smiled up at me, his wide brown eyes focusing on mine.

"So," I began, standing up from the desk in which I worked; a hands supporting the back of my neck as I tidied up all the loose clutter. "What do you say we play a game?"

Ichigo smiled up at me and bounced on the balls of his heels. "Yeah! Lets play!"

I watched him scamper off out of my room, his small steps echoing off of our house's hardwood floors. I chuckled, hearing his voice calling me from the living-room.

"Not so loud Ichigo, You'll wake up Karin and Yuzu." I walked down the hall and towards the living-room; Ichigo's strawberry plushie left in his room so that he would find it when he gets tired of playing.

Carefully, I walked across Karin and Yuzu's room, making sure to lighten my steps to keep them from waking up from their afternoon nap, children needed their sleep after all.

Ichigo sat by his toys, waiting for me to come over. I smiled as I sat down next to him. "Well," I picked up a firetruck that was hanging precariously over our small center-table's edge. "Lets play."

* * *

I was born on the fifteenth of March, two year older than Ichigo, six years older than Yuzu and Karin. Apparently it was quite a shock to my parents Masaki and Isshin Kurosaki when I was born with a bush of red hair, but then again Ichigo was born with orange. As it so happened to be, I was named Shirou, a name that resounded within my very soul. In my infantile state, I had no way to voice my opinion on the subject, but apparently it was my eyes that had convinced my parents to name me Shirou. Eyes are a window to the soul, the part of ones body that cannot lie, cannot conceal their feelings, and mine were no different.

Life from then on, was nothing much to talk about. It was a life of a regular child living in the world, and yet I could never shake off the feeling of emptiness that followed me wherever I went, and whatever I did. I could never shake away the unfathomable gilt I felt whenever I watched another in need, but did nothing to help. I took solace with my family, forging bonds that could last a lifetime and becoming the source of inspiration to my siblings who looked up to me.

It was selfish I knew, that I neglected to inform them of my plight, but I did not wish to cause any worry, any grief on my part.

The sun shone bright in the sky, its rays giving life to the world, but similarly blinding me from looking up at it. I was walking, and Mother was smiling down at me, my hand held comfortably in hers; the white dress she always wore when leaving the house pressing itself against me.

"Mom, why does that boy always look so sad?" I asked, my gaze drifting to the boy who sat by a bushel of roses, his knees tucked around his arms.

Mother turned in the direction of my gaze, the smile on her face faltering before she masked it behind a cough. She looked at me, her eyes downcast and full of the wisdom magically granted upon entering adulthood.

"Shirou, sometimes life isn't always what it ought to be. There are people in the world who suffer from strife and starvation while others wallow in their good fortune."

I stared quizzically up at mother, trying to decipher the meaning of her words.

"Sometimes, life passes you by, and you end up like that child over there. I do not know why it is that that child is sad, or why it is he chooses to remain there," I missed the subtle furrowing of her eyebrows; my height inadequate to even catch a glimpse. "But it would be best if you don't approach. The only cure to sadness is time after all."

I stared at the boy, mulling mother's word within my mind before my trail of thought went awry; a strange oddity catching my immediate attention. I pointed at the the boy's chest.

"What's that on his chest?"

Loosely dangling from the boy's chest was a single chain-link, its gleaming silver reflecting the light from the sky.

Mother's grip on my hand tightened, her knuckles shifting to a dull white. "M-Mom, your hurting me." My hand strained against her grip, my fingers being squeezed tightly together.

Mother looked down at her hand that held mine, and recoiled in shock. "I-I'm sorry Shirou, are you okay?"

"Yeah," I rung out the stiffness in my hand. "Just fine, but what was that all about?"

Mother didn't meet my gaze, nor did she look back at the child by the bushel of flowers until we had turned into the nearest curb. "Shirou please, just trust me," For the first time that I had ever known, a serious look adorned mother's face. "Don't approach that boy."

"But why?" My gaze began to drift back towards the boy's direction.

"Don't look!" Mother turned me by the shoulders and guided me forward. I faintly heard mother murmur more, but thought nothing of it as I waited for an answer to my question.

"Shirou," Mother said at last as she stopped in front of Ichigo's Dojo place. She looked at me, her face in contemplation for the right words. Hesitantly, she spoke with a hint of trepidation. "You will understand one day that-"

* * *

_"-You can't save everyone."_

* * *

"Yes I can!" The words left my mouth before I could even register them leaving.

"Shirou..." Mother met my gaze, the expression on her face becoming sober. "I'm proud that you would try to save everyone, but... you have to trust me on this. Sometimes things are better off left alone than interfered with." Mother brushed a hand against my cheek. "Please, do it for me."

Reluctantly, I nodded my head, still in the process of understanding what had come over me a scant few seconds ago; every muscle in my body had tensed, my mouth going dry, my eyes dilating.

I quieted the rapid beating of my heart and contemplated the feeling of revulsion that had flowed through me. No answer came to mind, nothing but the vague images of a group of people that vanished almost as soon as they appeared. Frustrated, I didn't notice the punch aimed at my face until I felt the impact on my lower mandible.

"Huh?" A young pubescent girl around Ichigo's age stood confused, her fist still extended were my face had once been. "Y-You didn't dodge?" She asked stupefied.

"Tatsuki! Why'd you hit Shirou-nii!" An all to familiar voice said before the squabbling of children could be heard.

I rubbed a hand against my reddening jaw, and slowly turned to the source of commotion on my right. A girl sat on top of Ichigo, her unkempt black hair blowing in the wind as the white uniform she wore rubbed across Ichigo's face.

Tatsuki Arisawa, the girl who vowed to defeat me ever since the day I quit going to the Dojo to pursue archery in another. Persistently, she claimed that I had left because I knew that she was catching up to me in skill level, but perhaps there was something more in her argument; she never did tell me why it was that she would single me out of all the other seniors better than her who quit. I'm half convinced that it was because I was the only senior Dojo student present on the day she enrolled that beat her on the first spar. Then again, I was her sparring partner for the better most part of two years, and I did spill water over her face once... Yeah, it was probably the water, but I could never really know, not for certain at least.

"Shirou-nii!" Ichigo came running towards me, the water works already beginning to pour from his eyes. "Tatsuki-chan's too strong!"

I sweat dropped as Ichigo hid behind me, his head peaking out of the back of my left leg, and his watery gaze still on Tatsuki.

"Tsk, weakling." Tatsuki said, her arms crossed and body turned to the side. "I only tapped you on the chest."

"Tatsuki, what did I tell you about self control?" I asked, my voice dropping a tone as I reprimanded her actions.

"I don't take to heart the words of a quitter." Tatsuki peaked an eye over at me, and turned away when I noticed. "Especially one who couldn't dodge a warm up punch."

"You cheated though!" Ichigo yelled in my defense, his arm pointing accusingly at Tatsuki. "You punched when he wan't even looking!"

Tatsuki ignored Ichigo and reluctantly turned to me, a frown on her face. "...Sorry," She said, her eyes downcast, her left hand rubbing her right arm. "I thought you were ready like always."

I stared down at her smaller form, watching the way her body seemed to close in on itself before making up my mind. I took the bag on my back, and fluidly opened the zipper that ran across its top. I tossed her one of the water bottles inside; having brought some for Ichigo to re-hydrate himself.

"This..." Tatsuki openly stared at the water bottle in her hand.

"Take it. It was a good punch, it was my fault for not paying attention." I smiled down at Tatsuki, the numbness in my jaw no longer bothering me.

Ichigo gaped, his mouth wide open, his eyes the size of saucers. "Shiroun-nii, why?"

I turned my gaze towards Ichigo, handing him a bottled water in the process. "Forgiveness is better than pettiness, didn't mother already tell you?" Ichigo stood with his mouth wide, his voice fading away.

"I do believe I have." Mother said, walking up to me and Ichigo. "I'm proud that you've taken it to heart Shirou."

"Thank you." I said. Mother turned her attention to Ichigo.

Ichigo blushed, hiding from mother's gaze behind my pant leg. I felt his grip on my jeans for all but a minute, before he finally relented and gave up; running over to mother to talk about his day.

He was childish that way, but then again, I was probably the same at his age. Mother was after all, the center of the family. It was she who brought life to the home, brought the family together, and cared for us more than herself.

Tatsuki stood alone awkwardly; staring at us while un-wrinkling her uniform still tussled from her previous actions. The water-bottle in her hand was soon placed on her lips, and promptly emptied.

"Thank you." She said quickly, bowing to me before turning to return inside the Dojo to wait for her parents. She fiddled halfheartedly with the handle of the Dojo's sliding door, her movements seeming stiff and uncertain.

"Tatsuki," I said, moving away from Ichigo and mother to approach Tatsuki who had stopped after I called her name.

She turned around to face me, her face looking slightly confused.

"Want to spar for old times sake? I mean you're still waiting for your parents right?"

Tatsuki's face lit up in excitement, a smile near instantly forming. Subsequently, I sighed. I knew that face. It was the face of one who would not give up until they had won...or dropped dead because of exhaustion. It wouldn't be the first time that it had ever happened. I turned to face mother, scratching at the back of my head while I focused my eyes on the ground.

"Sorry mom, but I don't think this will only be one spar." I turned to Ichigo who looked at Tatsuki as if she had just stolen me away from him - his face was scrunched up in displeasure. Mother noticed this, and held Ichigo close to her; a hand running through Ichigo's orange hair which eventually calmed him down.

"It's alright Shirou, but be sure to return home before dark - and Shirou, by dark, I mean 5 pm. Not 9 pm like last time." Mother turned to leave, Ichigo reluctantly following even as he periodically glared at Tatsuki who never noticed.

"Okay." I said to mother, before turning my attention to a smiling Tatsuki who was urging me to walk faster into the Dojo; her motions transitioning to become more fluid from what they were before. There was only one thought that crossed my mind at that moment. How can I lose without making it seem like I threw the spar? No answer came to mind, none but the helpful cawing of a bird in the distant horizon. "It's going to be a long day..."

* * *

"That's not fair!" A black haired girl protested, her hand grasping the hand of a girl of similar age except with brown hair. They stood next to me and Ichigo who was at my right holding on to a soccer ball. "We were here first!"

Around me was an open field of lush grass, previously trimmed a couple days ago. On either side of the field, was a soccer goal post.

"But we need the space for our practice!" A boy in a soccer uniform said as he motioned to his team. He was around my age, eleven, but based on his actions alone, he was still far from mature. "Our regular field is undergoing repairs."

"We were her first!" The black haired girl persisted, her eyes beginning to water due to her frustration.

"Karin," I said, my hand finding its way to sit comfortably on her shoulder. "We don't have to play soccer today."

Karin turned her face in my direction, the loose white T-shirt she wore fluttering in the wind; the identical one Yuzu wore, was no different. "But you promised..." Karin trembled before turning her gaze back towards the soccer team. There was a fire in her eyes. "It's all your fault!"

The boy who was arguing with Karin took a step back in surprise before retaliating in the same manor.

Before things could escalate, I quickly motioned for Ichigo to pass me the soccer ball, and then began to dribble it between my legs.

The attention quickly centered around me, the ball somehow finding its way up to my head where I managed to keep it up in the air. I flicked the ball up, then began using my left foot to balance it in place as I signaled for Karin with a wave of a hand. She beamed at me, letting go of Yuzu's hand and setting herself up in front of me to receive the ball.

I did just that; tapping the ball gently enough with my right foot that it sailed up to land perfectly on Karin's leg where she bounced it back to me with vigor. I bounced it back to her, aiming it slightly to her left so that she would have to move to hit it. Eventually, we had left the field; Ichigo catching on to what I was doing, and following close behind with Yuzu in hand.

"I'm sorry about today." I apologized to Karin, my breath coming out faster than it would have do to my physical exertion.

I aired out my sweaty shirt and tossed Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin one of the towels kept in a drawer in our house.

"Juggling a soccer ball probably wasn't what you wanted to do,"

I turned to Ichigo and Yuzu, wiping down some of the sweat Yuzu and Ichigo had forgotten to wipe away on their faces; not stopping until I was satisfied with the results.

"But it seems that Ichigo and Yuzu enjoyed it, regardless of how terrible we all became later."

Ichigo and Yuzu smiled at me, their bodies having collapsed on the floor.

"It's fine," Karin said with a pout before she wrapped her arms around my stomach in a hug. "Thank you, it was fun." She turned her gaze on the panting Ichigo before turning back to face me. "For the record though, we weren't terrible - Ichigo was."

"Hey! I was not!" Ichigo yelled indignantly.

I laughed at the scene as Karin released me from her hug. One by one, Karin, Yuzu, and Ichigo joined in, Ichigo having been effected by the happy mood finding little trouble in laughing. A flash suddenly lit the room as a shutter went off.

"Isshin, they grow up so fast..."

"I know dear, but we still have the photos."

I turned towards the hallway connected to the living room and saw mother around father's arms, a camera in her hands.

The casual shirt and trousers that father regularly wore were replaced with a formal suite and tie; probably since they just returned from the medical conference they had attended.

I waved at them, alerting Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu of their presence. Like a flock of baby birds, they ran up to mother and father, surrounding them. I stood for a moment, watching the spectacle unfold before my eyes...

* * *

_A girl waved at me. I could not decipher her expression, for her face was but a blur, but around her was a whole group of people; all of which seemed to be smiling at me._

_"Shirou c'mon!" They called me. "We can't start without you!"_

_"Shirou!" One suddenly called out. I couldn't move, my mind trying frantically to understand what was happening. "~Make me food~"_

_"-"_

* * *

"-Shirou, hurry up! We're having a family picture!" Father urged with the endless enthusiasm that always seemed to exude from him.

I snapped out of my funk and walked over, a smile over my face even as I dealt with the effects of the phenomenon that I have come to label as 'flashes'. Awful name I know, but there was nothing else I could use to describe them. I clenched my hands into fists, deciding that I would handle my problems later, for at the moment, family was more important.

* * *

Mother stood at my right, Ichigo on her left. We were on our way home from Ichigo's practice at the Dojo which had ended only five minutes ago. Luckily, Tatsuki was sick, and as such, she could not challenge me to another spar; the girl was to determined, and besides, I knew Ichigo would have complained to me later.

I moved gradually in front of mother, climbing up on some cobblestone rocks to peer ahead. Ichigo tried to imitate me, but mother wouldn't have it. Then again, she yelled at me to come down not soon after.

The sky was dark, the storm predicted by the weather man on T.V. proving accurate. Rain pelted against the ground as cold winds blew in from the north and tussled my damp hair. The water from the river bank I was walking beside had risen, the current sweeping up loose debris by the banks.

"I knew I should have brought the jackets." Mother muttered as she rushed me and Ichigo home.

There was a girl, standing by said river bank we were walking next to; her stare directed at me before turning towards Ichigo. I paid it no mind, choosing to rush along with mother, but Ichigo had stopped, his gaze meeting the girls.

I stopped, mother stopping too as she looked towards me and Ichigo. Colour began to fade from mother's face, her expression stricken with apprehension as she stared at the girl across the river.

The girl took a step forward, her leg hanging precariously over the river's edge.

"Wait!" Ichigo yelled, his little feet already running toward the girl.

"No Ichigo!" Mother yelled, but she was to late in her warning.

The hairs on the back of my head stood on edge as I witnessed a grin form over the girl's crystalline face. Immediately, I took after Ichigo, my strides longer and faster than his, but I was to late. Too late to pull him away from a fur like whip that clipped him by the head; sending him flying through the air to land on the damp grass.

My stomach dropped, my limbs grew tense. I ran over to Ichigo, hearing mother calling I and Ichigo's names, but I payed it no mind; single mindlessly focusing on the un-moving form of Ichigo. He was alive, blood dripping down from a cut on his forehead, but alive nonetheless.

Mother was over Ichigo and I in an instant, her face scrunched up in fear. Yet I could clearly see that it was not fear of her death, but of ours.

"Heheheheheeh, To think I would encounter three delicious souls," A monster appeared, its body hamster like, its limbs like a bird's. And there, hanging from above the monster's masked face, was a tentacle like limb attached to the girl I had seen preparing to jump into the river.

"Shirou," Mother whispered, pushing me behind her. "Take Ichigo and run away!"

My legs were frozen, my gaze directed at the monster in front of me. What was mother saying? What did she ask me to do? I questioned myself in denial. Surely she did not just ask me to leave her alone with this-this monster.

"Shirou!" Mother said urgently. "Go!"

Reality reared its ugly head. I absolutely refused to believe it, but the wind and rain drizzling down on my face did little to help.

One moment mother was there, the next she was gone.

Where was she?! Why was she no longer in front of me?! I slowly looked over to my right, and there she was laying on the ground.

Blood flowed into the river, tainting it a crimson red. Mother was panting heavily, a large wound cut across her chest. She attempted to stand once again, but failed due to her arms giving way to her body weight. She stared up at me, her eyes pleading for me to go, to leave her behind. Far from leaving, I stood still, my mind stuck in indecision.

I didn't want to leave mother behind, but I didn't want to leave Ichigo in danger either. I ran to mother, placing Ichigo beside her, and turned to protectively stand in front of them. My body trembled from fear as the monster lurked ever closer, mother still pleading with me to flee. I stared it down, a quite calm descending over me...

* * *

_"I don't want to regret anything...If you walk down the path that you believe is right, you cannot be wrong!"_

* * *

"Trace On!" An indescribable feeling of euphoria flooded through me; my body becoming light as a feather and as swift as a sparrow. Faint patterns of navy blue appeared on my body, tracing the veins beneath the surface of my skin. I no longer trembled, my breaths coming out evenly, and my eyes remaining on target. A black bow materialized in my left hand, its grip perfectly aligning itself to mine.

I stared at it, confused in what good it would do without any arrows.

"That's!" Mother called to me, her expression one of sudden surprise. "Shirou, imagine that you are loading a gun - believe in it with all of your heart!"

Loading a gun...A gun cocked itself within my mind, a sensation of a foreign quantity of mass gathering on my right palm. Bright azure light encompassed my field of vision; its light hue of indigo causing stars to appear within my eyes. My fingers interlaced together, grabbing hold of that which could not possibly be there. For in my hand was an arrow of luminous light created from the condensation of the original lustrous azure which turned a deep denim blue.

Before I knew it, I found myself knocking the arrow to the black bow, the motion in and out of itself, fluid and without fail. Fine dust and loose gravel began to gather in the air around me; the ground cracking beneath my feet. I strained against the pressure inflicted upon my right hand, the tension from the string of the bow drawing blood from my fingers that dripped down my arm.

Despite the pain of doing so, I knocked the string back further; releasing it when I arrived at its maximum elasticity.

The arrow flew through the air; in its wake, a cone shaped vortex of wind that left a trail of destruction upon the earth.

Furred limbs shot up into the sky, an unearthly scream of pain seemingly echoing out for miles on end.

"AAAAHHHHH!" The monster screamed erratically, a hand grasping at his stump of a right arm.

I knocked another arrow, its light reflecting off of the monsters ivory mask.

Eerily, the monster stopped screaming, its gaze now fully trained on me and not at mother and Ichigo.

"Do you really think that I would fall for the same thing twice! Insolent little bug! Had I known you were a Quincy things wouldn't have turned out the way they had!" The monster's masked eyes narrowed into a loathful glare.

I released my knocked arrow, watching it sail across the air at the monster that was no longer there. My hairs stood on end, my gaze frantically looking left and right. I prepared another arrow, the blood dripping down my right hand no longer bothering me.

"Above!" Mother yelled.

Her warning came to late, the heavy impact of what felt like an iron fist, sent me soaring across area. The air rushed out of my lungs, my vision began spinning. Faintly, I felt the blow to my chest hurt, but didn't mind it as much as the nausea I was currently experiencing. I stopped, my body ending its sudden flight by dragging across the ground.

The uncomfortable feeling of rocks against my skin, and the need to protect was enough to get me back on my feet. I paused, noticing the absence of the black bow that was once held in my left hand.

"That should have pierced you..." The monster said, its stump of an arm somehow regenerated over the course of time I had my eyes off of him.

What mattered to me however, was the black bow under his feet.

Drawn by the direction of my gaze, the monster smiled as it picked up the black bow and snapped it like a twig. A chill ran down my spine, my earlier sense of accomplishment fading away as my only means of attack had been destroyed so easily.

"You should have killed me when you had the chance, Quincy." The monster leered. "Now there is no hope."

The monster took a step towards me, followed by another; its figure getting larger and larger.

"Run!" Mother yelled from her position with Ichigo to my far right. "RUN SHIROU!"

The monster turned its gaze towards mother and Ichigo, and it was then that I knew that I would not run...

For the next ten minutes, I was beaten like a rag doll, mother's frantic screams acting as a back drop to my plight. Blood pooled into my mouth, my insides felt like the mush they probably were, but somehow I could barely feel the pain. Despite the blows the monster dealt to me, I took no damage from them; only the impact seeming to have any effect on me.

"You are durable."

The monster relented in his blows, holding me up in the air by my hair.

"Almost as if I was punching a hierro, but I have come up with a solution to this problem."

The monster opened its mouth completely. Peering into it, I couldn't help but think of an abyss of darkness. I felt myself being lowered in, my blurred vision making it hard for me to determine whether or not I had already been eaten.

In a final act of defilement, I punched at the hand still holding me up by the hair. Subsequently, it broke under my strength. I only had a moment to marvel at this feat before darkness enveloped me; my final moments spent staring at mother's tear stricken face. Her lips were moving, but I could hear nothing of her words, my gaze transfixed at her grief filled features. Her hands were trembling, her breaths coming out in un-even intervals, but most of all, I could see a fire die in her eyes. And that is what pained me the most...

* * *

_-Die!_

_-Curse you!_

Voices. Voices of all kinds melding together in a horrific display of hell.

I covered my ears, but found that it did nothing to stop the voices. I drifted, unable to move as parts of my body began to grow numb. First my hands and feet, then my legs and arms. Mobility was restricted only till my head. I looked around me, seeing a hole that revealed the outside world, and a hand reaching for mother and Ichigo.

I fought against the torrent of voices, fought against anything that hindered my movement towards the hole. That was my family out there. I couldn't let anything happen to them!

"Stop!" I yelled, my hands reaching, yet unable to. "Stop!"

Time seemed to crawl agonizingly slow as the hand drew nearer and nearer to mother and Ichigo.

Hands, dark-thin shadow like hands, but strong nonetheless gripped at my limbs. The faces of my family flashing before my eyes like a film with no projector. They were happy, all smiling, all content, and suddenly...It was all ripped away. Yuzu and Karin cried in their sleep, Yuzu's big bright eyes dull and lifeless. Father too was no better then the rest. They all huddled around a gravestone, I, mother's, and Ichigo's gravestone.

And I, I would have been the one to let this happen. I would have been the one to let them and myself die...

_Because of me..._

I shook in denial, my body spasming, my arms going limp.

_Because of me..._

* * *

At the time, lost in despair, I did not know that the power that I was emitting was pushing back against the darkness. The arms that had chained me recoiled and burned to ashes, my gaze devoid of emotion.

* * *

Before me appeared the form of the monster, its masked visage having yet to notice my presence.

Ever slowly, I stalked forward, my breath coming out in laboured pants that soon progressed to a healthy calm. Step by step, strength returned to me, first my legs, then my arms and body. I didn't know when it was that I found myself tearing through the expanse between the monster and I, only that I had the intention of righteous violence.

Armed with nothing but my bare-hands, I thrashed the monster across its chest; each consecutive blow producing impacts that rippled across its body which caused it to stagger. A final blow to the face sent the monster flying away from where it stood peering into the hole.

I simply stood there, not caring as the monster began to recover; my gaze held firm on both Ichigo and mother.

I reached a hand for them, a furred appendage making contact with mother's face. Surprised by the action, mother cringed and backed away to the best of her ability, Ichigo cradled under her.

My hand froze, my breath hitched in my throat. I retracted my hand, the furred appendage retracting itself away.

"I...I...I'll...Save...You..." I croaked out, my voice not my own, but that of the monster's.

I clenched my fists and tensed my muscles.

"I'll...Protect...You..."

Tears fell anew down mother's face, her sobs soft, but clear and distinct to my ears. A pained grunt drew my attention back to the monster.

"Impossible!" The monster said, it's face doing little to hide it's surprise. "You should have been digested by now!"

I didn't respond, the strength that had been flowing through me having suddenly vanished. Yet in its place was an aura of crimson red that enveloped my entire body. Like the flickering of a fire, it danced to and fro, expanding ever bigger, ever greater in purity. It destroyed the voices that had surrounded me; destroying them so utterly that everything became silent.

"AAAHHH!" The monster screamed it's body steaming.

It glared at me, but was unable to speak further as a wisp of aura covered its face and body; dying it in iridescent crimson. By the time the aura had died out, there was nothing left but me in the dark void that was much akin to a lasting emptiness. Fatigue soon hit me like a ton of bricks, forcing me to black out.

* * *

I awoke in a desert of white sand, a great pain emanating from my head. What was I doing? I wondered. I tried to recall, but nothing came to mind. Where am I? I looked down at my clawed hands. _What_ exactly am I? My body stretched eight meters tall, and three meters wide.

Sand shifted beneath my feet, my gaze drawn to the full moon in the over head sky.

Gradually, I lowered my gaze and began walking aimlessly in this world of white, the gnarled branches of trees the only indication that I was not walking in circles. The occasional harsh winds bit across my back, urging me to stop; to fall down and put my efforts to rest. Be that as it may, I pushed on, convincing myself to go another hundred meters, and then another...

* * *

_I lay on the ground, my body motionless and in great pain. _

_Around me were searing hot flames that melted even the steel girders that had been used as a foundation for the nearby buildings. Ash covered the air, muffling the screams of the many trapped beneath the remains of what had once been a city; their flesh melting away to reveal the white bones beneath, and yet that too was taken away and burnt till nothing remained..._

* * *

Sand found its way into my mouth and the hole located directly at the center of my chest. I breathed in, the grainy texture of the sand feeling unpleasant; my masked visage doing little to ease the feeling. The horns attached to said mask made it difficult for me to brush off the sand that was in my long flowing red hair - I had given up after only a few minutes.

Movement drew my attention to the first sign of life I had glimpsed on my journey. Red tribal marks, much like the ones that ran across my body, ran down its back. Lizard like in appearance, it stalked towards me, a smile present on its masked face. Willingly, I drew closer, perhaps there were answers to be found.

"What are you?" I asked, stopping just in front of the thing.

It didn't bother answering me, just continued to get even closer; saliva dripping down its maw. Before I knew it, it tried to bite at my legs; the flash of its teeth beneath its mask, the only indication of its intentions.

"What are you doing?" I asked, having jumped back before the thing could get a hold of me. Again it didn't answer, a smile returning to its face as it approached me for the second time.

It was then when I felt it, staring into the things eyes, the vast hunger within me. Saliva began dripping down my mouth, my eyes tracking the thing's movements, my body reacting in tandem with them. I looked at my hands, at the serrated claws I possessed on the tips of my fingers. All to soon, the hunger became unbearable, my muscles tensing in preparation. The thing made to bite at me again, but met the lethal edge of my clawed hands piercing into its face. It dropped, and didn't move again.

My mouth opened then sunk into the flesh of my kill. The thing's blood oozed down my mouth and down my throat. The large chunks of meat that my hands had cut soon followed. There was nothing left. I had eaten everything down to the last bone, and only then did my hunger satiate itself to a tolerable level. I stared at my bloody hands; felt the blood still drizzling down my body, and found myself wondering for the second time..._What_ am I?

No answer came of course, and I soon found myself wandering aimlessly again.

Wandering...Wandering...Always wandering through the vast desert. I didn't speak, I didn't sleep, I never stopped for rest. My hunger followed me wherever I went, the deep impulse for more causing me to eat anything I found; dead bodies, or fresh kills in the form of the thing in my earlier encounter, I didn't care; I just wanted the hunger to go away. It never did, never ceased to impede me on my travel; at least until the day I changed.

I was not exactly sure what had happened, just that I finished devouring another meal and my view of the world had suddenly changed. In more general terms, I shrunk down to half my size; my body becoming more sleek and robust to how it was before. A knight like helmet covered my face, my boned protrusions from my body resembling medieval armour. I no longer had claws, they being traded for usable hands that were probably used in accordance to the black bow on my back.

And so I wandered again. Wandering...Wandering...Always wandering through the vast desert of white until I stumbled upon a tree.

In stark contrast to the scenery around it, a white tree with many sharp spines appeared in view; its gnarled branches reaching up towards the sky and reflecting the over-head moon's light into my eyes. I pressed forward, my body seemingly drawn to the tree.

And there I would remain for the better most part of several days? Months? Years? I couldn't know for sure. I hunted of course, traveling great distances in search of food, but always returning upon sighting the tree's familiar white. It was on one such occasion that I stumbled across an anomaly in the form of two humanoid beings.

They walked together, a brown cloak over their shoulders that did nothing to hide their faces. That in itself was the anomaly. They didn't possess a full mask; something I was used to seeing on every creature I ever encountered. One had brown hair, the other green. One was short, the other tall. One wore a white helmet with a red flame design, the other did not. One was a man, the other a woman. They noticed me, their gazes meeting mine. Each step they took towards me reminding me more and more, that I did not know what their intentions were. I was curious however, and did not move from my location.

They stopped in front of me, an indifferent look on the man's face, and a smile on the woman's.

"You didn't run." The man said, his posture slouched as if standing straight was a hassle.

"Should I have?" I replied, reaching a hand towards the black bow on my back to act as insurance.

"Shut up Starrk!" The woman said, jumping onto the man's back and pounding his head. "Don't make us sound like were super powered villains!"

"Enough! I know what I'm doing!" Starrk yelled as he plucked the thrashing woman off of him.

"Obviously you don't!" The woman pointed at my hand that had frozen in the process of grabbing my bow. "See, he would have attacked us had I not stepped in!"

I sweat dropped at the scene and lowered my hand from my bow, watching as the woman continued to pester Starrk. It would seem that these two didn't have the intention of eating me like so many others before.

I sighed as Starrk got a hold of the woman who had yet again jumped on him, and threw her...at my direction.

I felt the sand against my back, my chest feeling sore from the woman's impact. She peered down at me, a smile forming over her face as she literally sat on top of me.

"Lilynette Gingerbuck." She said formally, pointing to her chest in the same instance. "And that over there is..." A thoughtful look spread across her face as one of her index finger pointed towards the other. "Starrk the Idiot."

"Coyote," Starrk cut in. "Coyote Starrk's my name." Starrk turned a half lidded gaze towards Lilynette. "Take your pettiness elsewhere Lilynette." Starrk reprimanded, but it had no effect as Lilynette simply stuck her tong out at him. I got up as Lilynette vacated her position on my chest.

I stood there, watching them interact with each other, and soon found a laugh escape my throat; Lilynette having latched on to Starrk's head by biting him. It was the first time that I ever recalled laughing in this world, but I knew it wouldn't be the last. Starrk and Lilynette stared back at me, their gazes curious to what I would do. I turned to return to the white tree, my gaze locking onto its familiar sheen in the distant horizon.

I walked away, my steps sinking into the sand beneath me. The rhythm of my steps were soon followed by another two pairs. Starrk and Lilynette walked gingerly behind me, a languid expression on Starrk's face, and a pleasant one on Lilynette's. I did not know if that was a good thing, or a bad thing, but if there was one thing I knew for sure, I wasn't going to stop them.

* * *

**Authors Note: I do not own Bleach or Fate.**

My reasoning for when Shirou's veins lit up in faint navy blue was his innate process of reinforcement and his Quincy blood factor. On another note, Shirou wasn't able to do much in the battle against Grand Fisher because he was inexperienced, and did not know who he was, which removed access to his stronger abilities. Furthermore, regardless if he had reinforcement, the body's first main instinct is to defend, and that is why Shirou did not utilize his reinforced strength to put up a fight with Grand Fisher till the end when it caught him by surprise. The reason why I figured he could trace Archer's black bow in the fight was also due to his Quincy blood. That's basically my reasoning for what happened during the battle.

A question some might ask is if Shirou is a Gillian, Adjuchas, or Vasto Lord. He is currently an Adjuchas after his transformation. Another question could be: is this an OC. The answer would be no. It's Shirou, but Shirou without his memories of his past life on his way to regaining them. I can't think of any other questions, so I'll leave that to you. (I won't answer questions that happen further along or deal with the plot - it's like a spoiler if I did.)

I also used a quote from Shirou Emiya in this chapter, if any of you notice that.

Thanks for reading, and leave a review if you feel like it.

-Parcasious.


	2. A walk in the sand

Life in the desert was not as easy as I had made it seem to Starrk and Lilynette. Everyday was a battle of patience, waiting, waiting, always waiting for the next meal to stroll mindlessly by.

I did not understand why it was that Starrk and Lilynette did not hunger as much as I, but I speculated it had something to do with their lack of a full mask. It was after all, the only difference between them and every other being I've seen. This didn't mean however that they didn't eat; a fact proven when Lilynette took a playful bite out of my meal and offered Starrk a smaller portion.

Oddly enough, instead of questioning them when they had first traveled back with me, I welcomed them as if it was an ingrained common courtesy.

Initially, they had been surprised, but Lilynette was quicker on the uptake, and plopped herself beside me in a show of camaraderie; Starrk following her example soon after. Together we sat, letting the day pass away as there was literally nothing to do but stare up at the sky. Despite the lack of entertainment, it was oddly pleasant to simply be in the company of beings who didn't intend on eating you. Besides, I enjoyed the luxury of being able to converse with another.

Days, weeks, months passed by, time having no meaning to me when nothing ever changed in the white desert's barren dunes. Then again, it did give me time to broach a matter that has been constantly pestering me since the beginning of my consciousness.

"I am a hollow? A being who eats other souls?"

My gaze tracked the movement of a tail across the great dunes; my left hand drawing back the string of my bow. A bright light shone over me, an azure arrow ready to be deployed.

"And this arrow is made up of my spiritual energy?"

Spiritual energy from what I know, is the amount of energy a being has stored within their body or soul. It's counter part, spiritual pressure is its application.

"Yes." Starrk said simply, his brown locks that ran down the sides of his face swaying; revealing a twitch forming on the tip of his brow and his closed eye lids.

It wasn't long before a frown marred his face from his position leaning against a rock.

"How long does it take to fire? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?" Starrk said. "At least do something about the light."

Ignoring Starrk, I focused on the body of my target.

I released the arrow, watching it sail across the sky before it pierced flesh.

"Better?"

"...Your still talking." Stark said with a yawn, a hand raised to cover his mouth as he opened a brown coloured eye to stare across at me. "Silence is golden."

"Only you Starrk, only you..."

I began walking in the direction of my prey, mulling over the thoughts in my mind. A quick flash of green caught my eye, and a smile crept its way onto my face.

"By the way Starrk, Lilynette's here."

Starrk's eyes widened, his gaze surveying the area. He didn't have to look long, for Lilynette was smiling from above him atop the rock in which he leaned on. Her one pink-eye left uncovered by her helmet seeming to inflict a certain effect on Starrk. Or maybe it was just the way her eyes kept drifting from her one-of-two unbroken horns atop her helmet and Starrk's unguarded body.

"Staaarrrrrrkk," Lilynette drawled cheerily, the glare in her eyes off setting her chipper attitude. "YOU LEFT ME AGAIN!"

Starrk sighed, a hand covering each of his ears as he turned over to lay on the ground.

"You're too loud, I can't sleep when you're near me."

"Starrk, you-you bum! All you ever do _is_ sleep!"

"Yup, so go bother Shirou."

Starrk pointed at my direction, but I was no longer there. He blinked once, then twice, before turning back to Lilynette.

"...Go away."

"No!" Was the last thing I heard as I walked out of ear shot.

I stood above the un-moving form of a dead crab like hollow, my hands beginning the process of carrying it back to the general safety of the white tree. It was safe there for the most part, except when the odd hollows who'd show up occasionally arrive. In that case I would be forced to defend the area. Troublesome as that might be, it doesn't compare to loosing my meal to a group of non-sentient hollows wandering about, but then again I ate those non-sentient hollows at the cost of expending more energy.

I slung the corpse of the hollow over my shoulder and began my trek back, no doubt Lilynette was already waiting for me after growing frustrated with Starrk.

Sometimes I wonder to myself these days, what is my purpose in life? Surely it's not to continue things the way I have now? Surely there is something more...

Sand beat against my back, my body moving swiftly over the dunes with practiced ease. I soared, leaped freely into the air, letting the whipping wind act as my guide.

The unpleasant shifting of elevation was the first sign to alert me that something was wrong. The lack of ground beneath me was the next. Thereafter, I fell; the corpse of my kill flying off of my shoulder, my body plunging straight down to the world beneath the sands.

It was dark, the trunks of massive decaying trees the structural supports for the desert above. Moon light filtered in from the hole I had created, giving me a semblance of awareness to my surroundings.

A dull pain navigated its way up my right arm. I must have landed on my wrist, for it was bent in the wrong direction. Giant hollows several stories tall lumbered around me, their steps creating tremors throughout the ground. Spikes protruded from the area around their necks above the black garment that stretched down to their feet. Lilynette had once informed me of the three classes of Menos: Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde. Of those three, the ones around me could be none other than Gillians, the lowest class of Menos.

Individually, or in small groups they would be child's play, but with the sheer number of them now...

Visibly under the light of the moon, my muscles tensed, my good hand positioning itself in front of me; one pair of eerily yellow eyes, followed by many more turning to face me. One, then two opened their mouths to release an unearthly screech that echoed throughout the vast undergrowth; only to be amplified further by the participation of those out of sight.

It just had to be me didn't it. To be the one unlucky enough to plunge head long into a situation I had no control over. Somehow, it just didn't seem new to me.

I roared, staking a claim of my dominance and for none to approach me; letting loose my spiritual energy in a torrent of blue light. After all, Starrk had mentioned once before that many hollows were mindless and guided by primal instinct alone. "Power is the way of Hueco Mundo- this world of white sand." He had stated rather blandly and without care. And yet a certain dullness entered his eyes upon his finishing. I would have to thank him for his input later- if I ever get a chance to see him again.

_"Adjuchas, the second tier of the three Menos classes. Stronger and smarter then Gillians, they are smaller and far fewer in numbers. That is what you are."_

My roar echoed out for miles, silencing the oppressive screeching that so heavily dominated the air. I took a step forward, the Gillians parting for me like the red sea. My eyes surveyed for a means to return above ground, but found nothing that could possibly aid me. I trudged on, my steps the only sound being created, but everything changed when the Gillians attacked in droves; a bellow far off in the remote darkness having set them off.

Instinctively, I attacked the closest to me; jumping up high into the air and punching through the masks of multiple Gillians. Admittedly, it wasn't the best strategy I could have thought of, a bit too basic actually. Then again, fighting with only one functional hand limited my options in and out of itself.

_"High-speed regeneration, a trait many hollows share, but I can't say the same for you; being as I've yet to see you injured."_

Should I cut off my hand and hope for the best?

Somehow the vague Image of a twin tailed girl looking about ready to blow a gasket crossed my mind as soon as I'd considered the notion. Despite my size, and general strength as an Adjuchas, I found a shiver work its way up my spine. I scrapped the idea almost immediately, choosing to wait for a better one.

A blue ball of condensed spiritual energy coalesced on the tip of my hand; its blue light shining like a beacon in the dark.

"Cero."

Drawing from the spiritual energy within me, I released the cero for what it was, a beam of utter annihilation. The intended target however, was the ground. Upon impact, a massive shock wave spread out in all directions, bringing about a cloud of thick dust along with it. I never understood how I knew how to utilize a cero, but Starrk had said it simply came naturally to menos class hollows.

I weaved past the towering bodies around me, taking refuge in one of the massive trunks of the quartz coloured trees near me. The chamber located in the knot of the tree at its mid-point, being my safe zone.

I walked in, opting to wait it out as my injury healed over.

Across from me, where the quarts colored bark of the tree was the most smooth, was my reflection. I was reminded again of the knight like mask I wore over my face, and my armor like appearance. The red tribal marks that had used to run down my arms, now spanned across my chest and back. Tufts of red hair peaked their way out from beneath my helmet, cascading their way over my neck. The hues of blue that stood in stark contrast to the tribal marks revealed the densely packed muscles of my body. Around my waist was the remains of a worn out rag, its ends able to blow about freely in the wind, but did little in covering my legs.

I can't recall when it was that my appearance had changed so drastically. Lilynette had enthusiastically stated that I simply had enough dormant spiritual energy to transform to an Adjuchas after feeding from a few hollows, but Starrk had explained it in more realistic terms. Stating that by the time I had gained relative consciousness of myself, I was already close to evolving and as such had only needed to supplement power into my growth by feeding. Either way, there was no definite answer, maybe one will appear later; I honestly don't know.

I sat, my back leaning against the chamber's walls as my gaze loomed over the entrance. Flashes of red occasionally reflected off of my hazel coloured eyes; the Gillians still lumbering about, firing red ceros mindlessly through the air.

Gradually, my injury healed itself, the bones setting after keeping my hand still for a few moments. I opened and closed my right hand, testing it for any abnormalities, but found none. Satisfied I stood up, quietly making my way out of the quartz coloured tree. I traced a line towards the nearest Gillians, observing them from a distance before shooting off with no particular area in mind.

I wondered if I had done something wrong by not taking Lilynette's previous offer to come with me on hunts on a day not to long ago- no, it was definitely better this way. I would not allow her to be placed in this degree of danger, Starrk however was an exception- he could actually fend for himself...Well, if he wasn't sleeping at the time that is. I've seen how unaware he gets when he's asleep, especially when Lilynette administers her special 'wake up' techniques, but I've also seen how perceptive and strong he can be when he takes interest in something, or is bothered enough.

A fine example would be when Lilynette got hungry and pestered Starrk until he got up and fired a weak powered Cero randomly into the air. Said Cero, took my prey just as I set my eyes on it. From then on, Starrk let me do all the hunting; the lazy ass he was. But then again, Lilynette said I looked cooler than Starrk when I hunt with my bow, so she never protested.

The memory only served to remind me that I had to find a way back to them.

Starrk may have been nonchalant about it, but when I had first called them friend, he had trouble keeping his eyes closed for the day. That, or Lilynette just wouldn't stop pestering him in the blatant excitement she couldn't contain.

Yeah, I definitely had to find a way back, but what to do from here...

I thought back to when the Gillian's had attacked; remembering how they had at first conceded to my will, but changed as soon as a bellow carried across the dark cavern.

The bellow was the key to my escape. Dangerous as it might be, I didn't really think I had a choice, so I changed course to its direction.

Moving atop the branches of the trees that interconnected together, I avoided the groups of Gillian below me. It was like a road in the sky where if you step to hard on a thin branch, it would be sure to snap under your weight. Similarly, there were many paths to take, and many paths that would ultimately lead nowhere. Even now I wasn't sure if I was traveling in the right direction.

"He's mad isn't he?"

I stopped, listening again to make for certain that I had indeed heard a voice.

"That's an understatement. To think another Adjuchas would challenge his authority here."

Picking up the vibrations that carried in the air with my ears, I turned my gaze towards the origin. Two hollows stood standing towards an entrance to a hollow cavity in a large tree trunk; their bodies leaning against its walls. One resembled a monkey, its form sleek and brown-furred from head to toe. Its pale white baboon like mask, the final factor to its appearance. The other could only be described as a frog. Gills ran down both of the things sides, welts spread numerously throughout its green back, and its mask protruded outwards to emphasize its big round eyes. If not for its webbed hands and feet, I would have mistaken it for some sort of begotten love child of a fish and...Yeah, lets not go there.

"No one challenges the guardian of the Forest of Menos, at least not at the Adjuchas level."

I snuck closer, muffling my steps to such an extent that they became non-existent.

"But did you not feel it? The potency of that spark of power?"

"Careful friend, Your treading on thin ice in the direction your steering this conversation. You know how testy the boss gets when his position of power is put in jeopardy."

"You say that as if I was _scared_ of another adversary."

A new voice all but stated as it cut in with the sound of deep breathing.

I stopped just behind a mound of debris that had probably collected over the years; my body just tiny enough to be overshadowed and hidden. I didn't risk peering over at the assembly of hollows. For all I know, they could all be stronger than me, and based on what was previously said, the boss is most definitely an Adjuchas.

"W-We had no intention boss- some upstart could never defeat you!"

"Then see to it that it remains that way. Find him and deliver him to me, dead or alive."

"B-But boss, his power is..."

_"Find him."_

Loose gravel shifted beneath my feet, my body pressing itself further against the debris as two frantic footsteps moved in my direction.

I readied my bow, my breathing matching the rhythmic pace of the hunters of old, my eyes scanning for the emergence of a shadow. None came, the sudden silence feeling slightly overbearing.

A man wearing a gazelle's skull-mask made his presence known, the brown furred coat he wore over his back revealing the masks of many hollows. Beneath said coat was a black kimono with a white undergarment peaking out from the edges. Most notable however, was the blood stained sword held in his hands; the masks of the previous two hollows disintegrating on the ground near him.

_-Shinigami: Guardians of the souls._

_-Zanpakutō: Weapons used by shinigami._

_-Shikai: *******_

_-Bankai: *******_

My head hurt, the sudden flash of information near instantly disorientating me. I struggled to maintain my position; digging my hands into the debris to steady myself. The very motion however, caused me to stand upright, my line of sight surpassing the height of the rock.

Standing across from the man in the mask, was a hollow; the large shell-like appendage on his back that stemmed a long tail being the most striking feature. It wore a large body wrap around its waist that did little to contrast its turtle like mask with red markings circling the sides.

"Come to kill me again Shinigami?" The hollow asked.

Far from answering, the man, no; the Shinigami, only readied his stance; sword drawn, his posture bent in such a way that he was ready to spring out in any direction.

"How amusing, to think you would dare attempt to kill me for the seventeenth time." The hollow brought its fists forward, no signs of any weapon in hand. "I assure you dear friend, this will be your last!"

In a buzz of sound, the hollow just disappeared.

How was that possible?

Surely the hollow didn't possess enough physical ability to move at such a speed that my eyes couldn't track him- the large shell on its back should have made sure of that.

It appeared in front of the shinigami, its fist outstretched into a large hay maker. But then so too did the shinigami disappear; this time more silent and controlled. Appearing above the hollow, he swung down with lethal force. Despite this, the blade met resistance in the form of the hollows skin. That coupled with the hollows disappearing act was enough to widen my eyes.

I remained enraptured by their display of skill and power. Blow after blow they continued to fight each other to a stalemate. None conceding to the other.

I felt a tingle beneath my skin, my blood roaring for the excitement of battle. I stomped the urge out like sand to flames; my main concern of leaving dousing away any remains of the call to arms. And yet in my process of doing so, it left behind a feeling of power that coalesced within my legs. Suddenly, the speed in which the hollow had exhibited no longer astounded me; knowledge of the particular skill instinctively imprinting itself within my mind.

It had no name. It required no certain skill set to utilize. By making use of one's spiritual energy and setting it off in a burst of power within the legs, a hollow can reach speeds incomparable to that of a bullet. And yet, one must possess enough spiritual energy in the first place as a cost for the increase in agility.

Sparks flew in the air, the sound of grating steel reaching my ears. Clouds of dust circumnavigated their way throughout the battlefield, obscuring visibility. Yet this did nothing to hinder my sight; my time hunting proving vital in tracking the minute movements of the reptile like hollows that so greatly blended in with Hueco Mundo's world of white sand.

In the ensuing chaos, I left in a buzz of sound, appearing back atop the interconnected branches of the quartz coloured trees. Sure of my general safety, I peered down to obtain a bird's-eye-view of the battle below.

Even from where I stood, I felt the waves of clashing spiritual energy striking me like the gusts of an overhead wind. Numerous blows were exchanged in a matter of mere seconds. None however inflicting lasting damage.

The hollow opened its mouth, the scenery dying itself a crimson red as a cero formed in its entirety. The shinigami only had a moment to brace himself before he was hit by a ray of devastating energy that annihilated the area in its path. Entire quartz coloured trees were reduced to nothing but stumps; clumps of white sand falling from Hueco Mundo's surface promptly burying them.

Sword planted firmly into the ground and body bent to his knees, was the shinigami. Blood dripped down the shinigami's now visible arms, the remainder of his black kimono just barely holding itself onto his body. If not for the hollow mask the shinigami used to shield himself at the last moment, the damage would have been far more.

As things stood, the shinigami was clearly at a disadvantage; arms injured, breaths ragged, and still in the process of recovering. He stood back up, a single hand raised to grasp at the hilt of his sword. I couldn't tell the expression the shinigami wore, the mask over his face doing little to assist me.

* * *

_"Maybe I got something wrong, but it doesn't matter because the thought of wanting to help others definitely isn't wrong."_

_A girl stood slack-jawed before me, the man in red behind her doing little to mask his displeasure._

* * *

Before I knew it, my hands were already in motion, my bow drawn to its maximum capacity.

Six arrows aligned themselves to the origin, waiting for the release of my right hand to set them loose. Turbulent winds of navy blue spiritual energy rotated around the spear-heads of each individual arrow. With time they only grew larger. What had once been a gentle breeze of potential power had now become equivalent to a raging hurricane.

The menos around the general area began collapsing, the weight of my spiritual pressure ambient in the air, to much to bare. High above the battle still raging below, I released the grip on my finger tips.

Like the tail-light of a shooting star, six luminous streaks of azure arched in the air; the shock wave produced upon release, blowing away the loose debris on the ground and staggering the surprised hollow.

I flashed in, picked up the lone shinigami with a well toned arm, and went on my way to get as far as possible from the blast radius. As expected however, I didn't get far enough...

Dust from the loose top-soil on the ground surrounded me near instantly, the gale force winds at my back, pushing me off of my feet with a massive amount of force.

I sailed across a wide expanse, a clearing of sorts that I could not bother to describe for I could only provide you with a single one word answer. Blurry. Different from the technique I pulled off earlier where it felt as if I had just appeared from one area to another, something akin to teleportation, this time I could see the area I had actually traveled. I made a note to myself then and there to train my eyes to move at such a speed. After all, losing my self of surrounding wouldn't be beneficial to me in the slightest...

I kicked my legs out, snaring the branch of a nearby tree which dropped me to ground level. Dirt found its way up to my knees, my forward momentum pushing me further still. Skidding across the ground, large piles of dirt formed on either side of me, soon overtaking my height. Re-orientating myself, I kicked off back onto the interconnected branches of the trees around me.

I kept moving, not sure when far was far enough.

Finally, upon finding the exact spot I had hidden before, I stopped at its entrance and smoothly walked in straight after.

A sudden blow to my side caused me to flinch; the grip I had with my hand going slack. A blade was pointed directly at my face, the tip gleaming in the darkness of the room. I paused in my movements, drawing spiritual energy into my hands in case of unexpected hostility.

A moment later however, the blade was sheathed back in its sheath attached to the shinigami's black kimono.

"Why did you save me, hollow?" The shinigami asked while moving away from me, his breath coming out in uneven intervals. "I kill your _wretched_ kind for a living. Don't you feel any hatred, any remorse in saving me?"

I remained quiet, my eyes locked on to the empty sockets of the shinigami's gazelle like mask

Silence, no one spoke, no one moved. An unsettling tension filling the air as if the slightest hint of malicious intent would spark a violent clash.

"What do you want?"

The contempt found within the shinigami's voice was palpable.

"That was why you saved me isn't it."

What was said came out more as a statement rather than a question.

"I'll tell you now, I don't care what it is, or wh-"

"-Ashido Kanō," I cut in, the name having come to me in a series of abrupt flashes during the first time I laid eyes on his blade. The shinigami tensed, a hand already at his sword's hilt. "You are Ashido Kanō, a man of respectable pride, and above all _honour_."

"What do you know of me, and who are you to judge my character!"

White spiritual energy began to lace around Ashido's body; producing a white afterglow that illuminated the room. In stark contrast to his flowing white, I remained in the darkness of a shadow; at the only part of the room untouched by the light. The yellowness of my eyes staring eerily at Ashido's form.

"I'm," I paused thinking on what best to say based on the information running through my head. "I am the one who saved you. _I_ am your saviour."

"Do you think I give a damn! Years in this hell-hole have smothered any honour I had once harboured!"

"And yet that honour compels you to visit _them_ out of respect, or is it out of guilt?"

In a clang of steel, Ashido drew his sword, his grip so tight around the hilt, that his knuckles turned white. I observed a trail of blood drip down his arms, his injuries all but forgotten in wake of his anger.

"Don't you _dare_ bring my comrades- my friends into this, hollow! I swear I will cut you where you stand!"

Unperturbed by Ashido's threat, I continued on.

"For the sake of a world without death looming over the lives of innocent humans, together we fight, and together we die in honour."

I turned my gaze towards Ashido's sword; the image of a woman appearing in my mind smiling at the face of utter destruction at the hands of a hollow with a gazelle-like mask. Long silky black hair cascaded down her back, her wrecked black kimono doing little to offer protection from the incoming cero. Despite everything, she delivered the hollow its final blow; killing it along with her.

"You couldn't save _her_, your best friend. You couldn't save your comrades either. What would she think if she saw you now; blatantly discarding the only thing you have left, your honour."

Ashido's hands trembled, his sword no longer held firm, but flimsily.

"You promised to die together, and yet you were not there to aid her."

My voice became somber, as if to express the guilt Ashido must have felt- may still even be feeling.

"You let her die, so in her honour you pledged to stay in this Forest of Menos and kill as many hollows as possible to protect the world of the living- the human world."

I stared directly into Ashido's eyes, searching for them within the blank hollow sockets of the gazelle-like mask.

"And that is what you are still doing. Lost your honour in this hell-hole? No, it still lives within you."

"...What's your point hollow?"

Ashido's sword drooped, the spiritual energy around him fading away.

"That I should feel indebted to grant a favour to the one that saved me as honour dictates?"

I shook my head.

"I saved you, because I wanted to save you, not for anything more. I spoke of your honour not to corner you into helping me, but to aid you in your views of right and wrong."

I stood up, making my way toward the entrance of the room.

"Honour does not discriminate, _she_ was the one who taught you that. After all, wasn't she just a member of the lowly fourth division inept in fighting? She taught you that things aren't always as they seem, fourth seat of the eleventh division, Ashido Kanō."

The clanging of a sword against the ground was all I heard as I fully stepped out from the entrance of the room.

"I would appreciate it however, if you would willingly tell me of a way out of this forest."

I waited, listening to the silent sobs that echoed throughout the room. When at last they had stopped, and a gentle silence was all that remained, I heard the shuffling of feet, and the sheathing of a sword.

"...In the direction where the hollows thin out, there is a clearing that leads to an exit around seventy meters away. Go, before I change my mind. But know this hollow, this won't happen for a second time."

"Noted." I vanished in a buzz of sound.

* * *

What was that? I mulled the answer over in my mind, but found nothing to explain my brash actions.

Why did I help Ashido Kanō? Why did I not side with the hollow?

I clenched my hands, making for certain that I was the one in control of my body. Better yet, how was it that I knew literally everything about the shinigami without so much as asking for his name? The longer I thought, the more questions I dug up. It lead me to believe that there was no answer...

Perhaps later on one might appear, but for now there are better things to do then comprehend what has already passed. Specifically, the group of menos behind me. It was not that they were able to keep up with my speed, it was just the multiple beams of ceros they shot at me which occasionally destroyed my footholds.

Then again, by the time true confrontation would have occurred at the hands of 'the guardian of the Forest of Menos,' I had already escaped using the information Ashido had provided me.

Shooting out of the forest, a single red cero at my back, I disappeared in a buzz of speed.

Landing on a pile of white sand, I tumbled as it broke beneath me; sending me rolling down one of many of Hueco Mundo's white dunes. I reminisced for a moment, remembering how Lilynette would draw random patterns in the sand with her fingers; only to have them blown away by the wind, making her start all over again. Promptly I stood up, my gaze searching for the familiar white tree, but found nothing.

Languidly, I began walking, recalling the days long passed where walking was all I knew. I didn't know if I was heading in the right direction or not, but still I continued forward; my steps dragging amongst the sand.

The sight of vast dunes in the far horizon were yet again my familiar companions...

Walking...Walking...Aimlessly in the desert of white; searching for the tree that always seemed to be out of sight. Countless dunes I crossed, countless days having passed under the sky of the night. Time dragged on slowly, the sands pelting against my back, and my mind constantly drifting.

It was then that I met a deer-like hollow. A brown mane growing down her neck, and a red lightning pattern running down both her eyes. On either side of the deer-like hollow, stood two more hollows, one looking like a lion, the other a white snake with three pink dots beside its eyes.

They looked on at me, their gazes watching me from a distance, but at that moment I didn't care; the sheen of white in the sky behind them drawing my immediate attention. For that white could only mean one thing- home. It meant that I could once again meet up with Starrk and Lilynette, and once again put an end to this endless wandering. For that light could only be produced from the white tree reflecting the light of the moon in the air. I sped forward, on my way to a collision course with the hollows in front of me.

Stupid I know for disregarding them, for they had not once disregarded me.

When my feet launched off the sand with tremendous speed, so to did theirs. When I stopped due to a violent impact against my chest, so to did they.

"Not a step further!" The lion-like hollow growled out, its teeth bared in a threatening manor as it retracted the arm that I can only assume had hit me.

"How uncouth Mila Rose- well better to say as expected of you." The snake-like hollow said condescendingly.

"What are you getting at Sung-Sun?"

The lion-like hollow, Mila Rose was her name, turned threateningly on the snake, Sung-sun.

"That it was expected of you to act so barbarically."

Sung-Sun said back sharply, her slitted eyes rolling in their sockets.

"Why out right punch him when you could have done something much much more refined? If it were me, the very act itself could be considered graceful, you however..."

"Shut up you bitch! Like anything you do can ever remotely resemble 'refined'."

Mila Rose bared her teeth at Sung-Sun. A wind blew past as the deer-like hollow made her presence known by placing herself in between Mila Rose and Sung-Sun.

"Sung-Sun's only telling the truth though," The deer-like hollow said as it smiled at Mila Rose. "The very first time I met you, I got confused whether you were a lion, or a stupid neanderthal."

Sung-Sun smiled at the remark, but then again Mila Rose didn't look happy in the slightest. The way her yellow mane around her neck stood on end was an early signal to when she would eventually lash out.

"Well the very first time I met you Apacci, I already knew you'd be nothing but a pain in the ass! It's a wonder how lady Harribel even puts up with you."

"Damn bitch! Take that back!"

Apacci butted heads with Mila Rose, her antlers proving quite irritating as they poked at Mila Rose's eyes.

"Make me."

"Gladly."

"Would you please stop bickering, both of you. When you raise your voices like that, it only makes you look weak." Sung-Sun said, turning her gaze towards me who had already silently walked past them all. "Look, he's already lost interest."

Great. I was so close to getting away too... Then again I should have figured that I was still being watched when I made my move. If there's one thing I got from the brief exchange however, the snake was indeed the most perceptive. I readied my bow for the ensuing combat, subtly leaking spiritual energy into my hands to form my arrows.

"Were not weak!" Apacci and Mila Rose chorused. "And if anything, he lost interest because of you!"

"I'm offended, it was me who kept track of him unlike you two hooligans."

Sung-Sun stretched her body taller.

"In fact, I'm inclined to believe I can handle him myself; your idiocy would only hinder me."

A tick mark formed on both Apacci and Mila Rose's face. All out war ensued in the next.

I sighed watching the antics of the hollows I had assumed were fully intent on fighting me, but this was...This was Lilynette level when she would constantly bicker against Starrk's laziness. Placing my bow away, I headed on in the direction of the light in the sky; any traces of confrontation having left me and burying themselves deep within the sands. Be that as it may, the presence of a new hollow completely stopped me in my tracks.

Shark-like in appearance, she stood on two feet, in a humanoid form. Her untamed blond hair swaying with her steps as her aqua eyes stared down on me. I tensed, my senses alerting me that she was far stronger than the other three hollows.

_"Vasto Lorde, the 1st tier of hollow, they are the strongest in evolution. Run away if you ever encounter one; at least if Starrk isn't nearby to crush it with his superior power."_

Somehow, the memory of Lilynette summing up the presence of a Vasto Lorde was a bit underwhelming. But then again could the one standing before me really be a Vasto Lorde? Could this female hollow, really posses enough power for Lilynette to have informed me to flee?

"Lady Harribel, you didn't have to come out." The other three hollows said as they stopped bickering and faced the new arrival, Harribel. "One hollow isn't enough to defeat us."

"Then you didn't sense the amount of spiritual energy this hollow was gathering almost completely at his finger tips a scant few seconds ago?" Harribel said, raising a blond eyebrow.

"Well...no." Sung-Sun admitted, her head bowed in shame; Apacci and Mila Rose following her example. "But it shouldn't have been enough to defeat all of us."

"Maybe, maybe not. But it would have been enough to kill one or two of you for certain, and that I will not allow."

Harribel raised her shark-fin like blade, its edges serrated to deal massive cutting damage. I stared warily at it as she pointed it at me.

"State your intentions hollow."

I stood rooted to my spot for a moment, the tension in the air palpable, before garnering the use of my mouth again.

"That light in sky,"

Harribel turned to face the distant horizon in the direction of my gaze.

"I have friends waiting for me. It acts as a beacon to draw me back safely home."

"You had no intention of fighting?" Harribel intoned as she lowered her blade. "Simply wanted to pass right by us towards that light?"

I met her gaze, searching for any indication of her intentions. When I found no particular signs, I ventured into open water.

"Yes."

"What complete bull-"

Harribel eyed Apacci, the very motion silencing her.

"...Very well, you may go"

Graciously, I nodded my head to her, positioning myself to leave.

"Thank yo-"

A great howl carried across the vast dunes; a hoard of hollows stretching a vast line throughout the desert approaching at great speeds. I did not know where they had come from, but the only conclusion I could draw was that they had followed me from the Forest of Menos. I turned to face Harribel, Sung-Sun, Apacci, and Mila Rose, and realized that I may have just dragged them unawarely into a situation with them not at fault. My gaze remained the longest on Harribel, remembering how she had simply let me go unlike any regular hollow. This group was different, they didn't have the intention of eating me at first sight. And if this really was my fault...Damn it!

Forming a cero in my hand, I elongated it and knocked it onto my bow. Empowering my cero further, a cyclone of blue spiritual energy rotated around me; a column of deep blue erecting itself to the sky.

I had yet to notice it, but a sharp look entered Harrible's eyes as Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sung-Sun stood slack jawed at the spectacle before them.

My eyes tracked the movement of the hoard of hollows, searching for a dense gathering. When none appeared in sight, I resolved myself to shoot straight down the middle.

"...Cero: Flecha de Fuego."

The arrow soared into the air, numerous eyes turning up to watch its parabolic arch.

When at last it detonated upon hitting the ground, it flooded the area in a sea of blue flame. Sand morphed into glass, hollows became mere ashes in but an instant. On the landscape that had been spared, were the burning remains of hollows unlucky enough to be caught by the flame's wisps. Screams could be heard even from where I was standing.

I stared, the scene reflecting directly off of my eyes.

* * *

_The fire, oh how it burned bright around me. Nothing lived in its wake- nothing. The billowing wisps and embers dancing and floating about within the air. My lungs, having grown tired from breathing in the excessive ash would no longer obey me; no longer wished to function and supply me with vital oxygen. And it was then, at that moment, at that realization that I was going to die, that I was found..._

* * *

I broke into a cold sweat, the spiritual energy I had expended taking its toll on me. I ceased the minute trembling within my hands, my eyes locking onto the vast majority of the remaining hoard of hollows.

"What. The fuck. Was that!" Appaci screamed; Sung-Sun and Mila Rose still in a state of shock, unable to voice their similar opinions.

I didn't answer, my attention still focused in front of me.

"You killed a great deal of Barragan's men." Harribel said, her quiet step pressing softly against the sand. She stood beside me her gaze at the blue flames still burning brightly. "He will take note of this."

"Barragan?" I asked confused. Weren't they just the hollows sent after me after I had pissed off the guardian of the Forest of Menos?

"He is the self-proclaimed king of Hueco Mundo."

Water formed over Harribel's shark-fin blade.

"I thank you though for the assistance, but I will do the rest."

I remained in place, staring in awe as more and more water coalesced on Harribel's blade. And yet as the implications of what she previously said sunk in, a more morbid thought crossed my mind. I had garnered the attention of a king, and probably his ire too?

Great, just great. Out of the frying pan and into the fire I guess.

Harribel swung her sword, a massive wave of water shooting out and eradicating the approaching hollow hoard, which when I really paid attention, only consisted of low level hollows and gillians.

Sighing due to my misfortune, I put away my bow and began to walk away. A sudden shifting in the sand however, had me jumping straight up into the air. Numerous hollows appeared from beneath the ground, their masked visages seeming all the more menacing as they began appearing everywhere.

"So there were more." I murmured to myself. Landing swiftly, I positioned myself by Harribel, Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose.

"Choosing to help us out?" Sung-Sun asked. Perhaps it was due to her wariness of me, but her gaze was more focused on me rather than the enemy.

"I couldn't very well leave you all alone with the amount of hollows around us." I said back, my hand once again forming arrows to knock onto my bow; the only weapon that had been on me ever since I evolved into an Adjuchas.

"Like we need your help dumb ass!" Apacci humphed. "So what if you had a cero or two up your sleeve."

"Enough." Harribel said, her eyes narrowing on the hollows around us. "It's not the time to bicker amongst ourselves."

"Agreed." I said, taking into account the way the hollows stared at me. Then again I did wipe out a fair few of them.

No one moved, no one spoke, all waited for the smallest of movements for an opening to be exploited.

Without warning however, the hollows screamed in pain, their hands covering their heads in a fashion similar to how a child would rub a bad head ache. Many fell to the ground writhing, or spasming uncontrollably. Dead. They all died without any reason. Furthermore, the sound of two pairs of foot steps entered my ears. I looked up at the top of a nearby dune, my body falling due to the impact of a 42 kilogram weight impacting against me at great speeds.

"Shirou! We found you!" Lilynette said excitedly, her body once again sitting atop my chest like she had on our very first encounter. "Look Starrk, we found him!"

"I have eyes Lilynette." Starrk yawned as he stepped over the corpse of a hollow. "I can see for myself, and besides we felt his spiritual pressure from miles away. It shouldn't be a surprise that we found him."

"You act as if you weren't worried that he left us on purpose. I know you panicked on the day he didn't return." Lilynette said as she pulled down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out at Starrk.

Starrk tsked, and tossed the body of the reptilian hollow I had hunted all those weeks ago beside me.

"We found it by the hole you fell through."

"...Thanks I guess."

I pushed Lilynette gently off of me and stood up, surveying the bodies of the hollows around me. Noticing my gaze, Lilynette looked bitterly at the ground, Starrk's face going blank.

"Why did they-"

"-Die." Starrk finished for me, his gaze directing itself towards the sky. "...My power," Starrk began. "Is too strong. The weak around me die whether I like it or not."

"But then why didn't I?" I asked. As far as I knew, I was far from reaching Starrk's level of power.

"I don't know, and I don't really care." Starrk said as he slumped on the ground. "All this walking has made me tired. Wake me up later."

"Starrk!" Lilynette yelled in protest. "You can't sleep now, we just found Shirou!"

"Who the hell are you two." Mila Rose asked, her gaze still staring warily at the bodies of the dead hollows. "And just how is it that you can kill hollows without so much as lifting a finger?"

"That's because we're strong, lady." Lilynette proclaimed with a fist bump to her chest. "So better respect me."

"You," Apacci laughed. "Your just a weakling. The man attempting to sleep over there is far stronger than you." Starrk lazily raised an eye lid to watch the proceedings. Enraged, Lilynette jumped on Apacci, riding on her back she pounded relentlessly on Apacci's head.

"Get off me you twerp!" Far from getting off, Apacci's urging only made Lilynette all the more determined to continue her assault.

"Now do you see my power!" Lilynette laughed.

"No," Sung-Sun said. "I only see two idiots, right Lady Harribel?" No answer came, Harribel was no longer beside her. "Lady Harribel?"

Harribel stood over Starrk her gaze running over Starrk's frame. Starrk made no motion of moving, his lone opened eye staring right back at Harribel. I stood there taking the scene in, a vague memory of an orange haired boy and his family performing similar antics in front of me. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Harribel turned to face me and made her intentions known.

"Barragan will come after you eventually." She said. "You all won't be safe alone, no matter how strong this one is." She pointed a hand to Starrk. "So as mutual hunted, I propose an alliance. After all, if we can't win alone, we can win in a group."

"Lady Harribel, we can't possib-"

"-They are strong Mila Rose, but above all, they are rational." Harribel's attention was drawn to Lilynette and Apacci still in the middle of confrontation. "Mostly..."

I considered her offer, noting the fact that as powerful as she was, she still proposed an alliance. Just how strong can this Barragan be? On one hand, I could return to the life I had been living with Starrk and Lilynette with a constant danger looming over our backs, or join up with Harribel, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci to increase our safety.

I looked to Starrk for direction, but realized that he probably wouldn't care either way. Then again, the only difference this alliance would have to my previous lifestyle, is just the presence of more individuals and a more likely chance of confrontation with Barragan. But, maybe it was time for a change. After all, this group of hollows was different from the rest, and I had considered doing something different. Perhaps it would be better to take a chance with them.

"I accept your proposal." I said, turning my attention to the other party effected by the decision. "Starrk?"

Starrk sat up after I addressed him, a hand rubbing out the sand that had accumulated in his wild neck-length brown hair parted in the middle. "I don't care really, as long as I can sleep I'm fine."

"Then it's settled." Harribel walked over to us, her steps firm and without pause.

"-Wait wait wait. An alliance with this idiot?" Lilynette poked at Apacci's eyes. "You can't be serious!"

"Yeah!" Apacci agreed. "Who would ally themselves with this twerp!"

Harribel sighed and ignored Lilynette and Apacci; extending a hand towards me and Starrk in the process. I grabbed hold of her hand first, then Starrk; the extra effort causing him to yawn.

"Tier Harribel." Harribel introduced herself. "That's Emilou Apacci, Cyan Sung-Sun, and Franceska Mila Rose." She pointed towards her companions in order.

"Coyote Starrk," Starrk said in accordance with proper introductory etiquette. He then pointed languidly at Lilynette's fuming form after she had been thoroughly ignored. "And that's Lilynette Gingerbuck. She's rather loud but you'll get used to her in time."

Finally, all eyes turned towards me, waiting patiently for me to speak.

"Shirou." I said, rubbing the back of my head uncomfortably as yet again I had to call myself the only name that ever surfaced within my mind. Fact is, I wasn't even sure if it was mine, but then again, what choice did I really have. "Shirou, just Shirou."

* * *

Well, I think this chapter went relatively well, except I started dying near the end and may have botched the quality of the writing. But as of right now, I'm feeling to lazy to make it better. As to why Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose didn't die due to Starrk's presence, I attributed it to the fact that they would eventually be called the Tres Bestias in the Quincy ark, so they must have possessed enough power to not die, at least not right away. For Shirou not dying and the utilization of his abilities, that can be explained later. For those curious with Ashido Kano, I made up a few thing to go along with the story, so his background probably won't match 100%.

Shirou's move with the cero, (Flecha de Fuego = Arrow of Fire) was given a name since I didn't think it could simply be considered a regular cero after altering it to an arrow like form and flooding it with spiritual energy. I just figured if you had a bow, and were able to use cero, why not combine them to make something new- well that's just me.

About concerns if I'm making Shirou to overpowered, I don't really think he is. After launching his cero at the hoard of hollows, he felt the effects of a loss of spiritual pressure. Harribel wiped off the rest with relative ease, and don't even get me started about Starrk. But if there are still those who aren't convinced...well I don't know.

The reason for Shirou being able to pull off the amount of techniques he did without completely depleting his spiritual energy, is because of his origin. Like Ichigo, he was born from a Shinigami and a Quincy, and like Ichigo, should possess high spiritual energy.

Harribel and her group have not yet met Aizen since they are still in confrontation with Barragan. Based on research, I concluded that Harribel is approached by Aizen first after leaving Barragan's court which is all that's said about her encounter with Aizen.

About Harribel's group joining up with Shirou, Starrk, and Lilynette, I figured that it would be the most appropriate since Harribel herself had already resolved to fight in a group if necessary. Also, she would have been smart enough to see how useful Starrk could be against Barragan.

In the relative timeline before Aizen meets up with everyone, it's not specified anywhere when he meets up with all the espada, just that he does.

If there are concerns I may have missed, please feel free to ask me.

Also, I would appreciate feedback if I'm progressing this story to fast, otherwise I will continue at the same pace.


	3. The Hollow who was born white

If I could describe the feeling of utter annoyance welling up from within me in one or two words, it would probably be a lie.

"For the last time Ulquiorra. Stop. Trying. To kill yourself." I intoned with an exasperated breath.

Far from acknowledging my presence in front of him, Ulquiorra simply proceeded on towards the sharp spines of the white tree behind me.

Briefly, I contemplated Apacci's idea of simply restraining him, but thought it best that I don't resort to such inconvenient measures. I sighed, wondering just why I would even care if Ulquiorra just killed himself. He was after all, just a random hollow who had come by just a few hours ago.

Starrk and Harribel had been the one's who got a name from him. As for Apacci, Mila Rose, Sung-Sun, and I, we were ignored.

I deliberately dragged my legs forward, and once again stood in front of him; my gaze staring at his eyes before drifting to his sleek and pale-white humanoid form with two horns sprouting from his head. The twitching of his black tail and long bat-wings served as the only indication of the perplexity gathering in his deep green eyes.

"Why do you hinder me?"

It was the first time I have ever heard Ulqiorra speak to me. Startled for but a moment, I thought deeply about the question, for I had no real answer myself. Still, I stood resolutely; my determination not once faltering.

"Is this what's called 'human emotion'?"

Human emotion? Could the answer to my strange behaviour really be that simple?

I racked my brain for any proof of such a thing, but yet again realized the futility of it all. For example, if one were to question an amnesiac about events prior to his memory loss, it most surely would not end well.

"Even if it is, what would be the point if I just let you die?" I asked, growing even more frustrated by the moment.

"There is no answer to my existence. What point is there to living?" Ulquiorra asked not with any sort of frustration, but with calm rationality. There was a slight undertone of curiosity lacing his voice, but to minuscule to even bother taking note of.

* * *

_My legs would not move, my arms too tired to lift; if I were to die, then so be it. _

_A black haired man in a trench coat appeared before me, crying. He pulled me into a tight hug; all the while smiling a radiant smile in spite of the flames raging around him. To me who laid firmly on the ground, he seemed as if he was the happiest man in the world. _

_That smile, that happiness, could I, could I ever..._

* * *

"...To fill a purpose." I muttered out in a trance.

A silent breeze blew past, sending a cloud of loose sand into the air between us. Ulquiorra stopped, his clawed feet digging into the sand below, his wings and tail remaining completely still.

"...Then," Uquiorra looked towards me, his gaze empty of any emotion. "Do you know of my purpose?"

"No." I admitted, watching carefully for a visible reaction, but found none. "But what I do know, is that there is no such purpose to be found stabbed to death by a white tree. If you come back with me to the others, maybe in time you will find one."

"Is that a guarantee?" Ulquiorra inquired.

"Yes." I said, no trace of uncertainty within my voice. For it's what I truly believed.

A moment of impassive staring passed, Ulquiorra's gaze on my own and mine on his. He was reading me for any traces of deception I realized, but true to my beliefs, I stood firm.

"I'll come with you." Ulquiorra finally stated, his body straightening as he tucked in his wings. "But know if this is a lie I won't hesitate in killing you for wasting my time."

I shrugged his final comment off.

I trudged forward, Ulquiorra's steps following after mine. Spires of rock formations towered around us; their shadows casting a stretching darkness that spanned to where the gnarled branches of trees stretched up towards the sky. And there, isolated from everything but protected by everything, was a small cave dug deep into the sediments of a large and rigid stone cliff-face. Standing before its entrance was the all to imposing figure of Lilynette Gingerbuck; her arms crossed and lone gaze surveying the area.

Her face split into a smile upon sighting me, but scrunched up in thought upon sighting Ulquiorra.

"You're late." Lilynette stated quizzically.

My previous frustration returned to me as I looked at the cause of my tardiness. Said cause didn't so much as flinch. Nor did he show any irritation as Lilynette began poking his face with a finger.

I sighed, picking Lilynette up by the back collar of her ragged cloak, I deposited her onto the ground.

"Enough Lilynette." I reprimanded. "You don't know of what I've just been through- and no; I will not elaborate."

Lilynette pouted, her energy depleting as I saw right through the words that were about to come out of her mouth. She tsked and brought her knees up to be enveloped around her arms.

"But it's boring." Lilynnete complained. "Starrk may be fine lounging around all day, but I'm not." She looked up to me, her lone eye uncovered by her mask fragment opened wide. "Can I come hunting with you today? I don't want to do guard duty anymore."

I mulled over her question, taking into consideration that there shouldn't be anything to dangerous nearby.

"If Starrk agrees, then fine."

Before I knew it, Lilynette disappeared near instantly, reappearing again a moment later.

"Starrk says yes."

"He probably just said 'go away' didn't he?"

"Yup."

I brought a hand to my face and slowly dragged it down in exasperation. "Wait here Lilynette, I'll be right out."

I motioned for Ulquiorra to follow me, and together we stepped into the entrance of the cave. Long shafts of stalactites hung from the ceiling accompanied by stalagmites on the ground as if Hueco Mundo had once had water. Different from regular caves, light pooled in from the entrance and reflected off of the coarse walls, illuminating the room a dim grey. I continued forward, matching my steps to the sound of water droplets hitting the ground, but always they remained unseen; no evidence to point out their existence.

Starrk sat hunched over by the ground, his head lulling from side to side in accordance to his breaths. Harribel stood across from him, shaking her head in disapproval.

"You're laziness will be the end of you." Harribel said.

"Not if your nagging kills me first." Starrk replied.

"I thought you'd understand by now Harribel, that there's no changing Starrk. If Lilynette couldn't do it, no one can." I said matter of factually.

Harribel stared at me, and conceded my point before turning her attention to Ulquiorra.

"He's staying." I said. "I'm not sure how helpful he'll be, or whether or not he'll consider leaving, but in the meantime, please inform the others to welcome him."

"That should be fine as long as he doesn't hinder us." Harribel said. "But don't get carried away Shirou, we won't just let any hollow join us. He'll have to earn our trust first."

"The fact that he doesn't work for Barragan should be enough to consider the possibility." I replied.

"You have a point." Harribel said, her eyes narrowed soon after. "Have anymore of Barragan's followers arrived today?"

"A few of them. Saw them just near the end of the chasm by the area we first met. Based on the way their eyes kept darting around the scenery, they're still searching for this location. I took care of them, so you don't have to worry about it."

"Good work." Harribel said softly.

"Thank you."

"I will remain over here." Ulquiorra said, his position no longer behind me, but next to a wall. He looked across at Harribel, Starrk, and I, simply observing with his green eyes.

I nodded, and left him to his business; deciding to carry on with mine. I turned and left, but Starrk must have heard me leaving for he suddenly called out my name. Glancing back, I saw that Starrk had deigned it necessary to put in the effort to remain awake for a few moments.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Keep her safe." Starrk replied.

"Of course."

* * *

By the time I returned outside of the cave's entrance, Lilynette was entertaining herself by stacking rocks on top of each other.

The concentration on her face was slightly endearing, but I couldn't take it seriously due to the way she kept fumbling with the second rock in her hand. Never mind building a ten high-stack, she was having trouble with just two...

"Let's go Lilynette." I said, noticing the accomplishment that adorned her face as she succeeded in her endeavor.

Startled upon hearing my voice, she knocked down her two-high stack of rocks. She stared miserably at the second rock she had finally managed to stack; trying her best to place it back on again, but to no avail.

I felt kind of guilty when she turned her sorrowful gaze on me, the feeling stirring from deep within me. She sniffled, before nodding her head towards me, and leaving behind her pile of rocks.

Taking a hand to wipe at her eye, she stared back at me as if nothing had happened.

"Lets go!" She cheered enthusiastically.

I sweat dropped, but lead her on.

Standing atop one of Hueco Mundo's vast dunes, I surveyed the land for a suitable target. Finding one, I motioned for Lilynette to come on over.

"Do you see the hollow stuck in the sand by that odd rock formation?" I asked.

Lilynette nodded her head.

"That one's yours." I turned an eye towards her. "Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course! You just watch me."

Lilynette shot off, kicking up a cloud of dust into the air. I coughed and rubbed the dust out of my eyes before searching for Lilynette's whereabouts.

I spotted her a kilometer away, kicking at the half-buried hollow who could do little to resist since it was stuck head first.

Ascertaining Lilynette's safety, I turned to the main target. Two wide eyes stared fiercly at me, there yellow sclera giving off a faint glow.

An octopus like hollow, it barreled towards me on its many tentacles. Knocking an arrow, I made short work of the thing, then hoisted its corpse onto my back to return to the hideout. No doubt nothing would remain of it later.

When I turned back to Lilynette, it was to the sight of her being waist deep into the ground. I didn't know how that was possible, but upon closer inspection, she did manage to defeat the hollow. I can give her that.

Walking up beside her, she stared shamefully at me, her face turning red in embarrassment.

I didn't ask her how, just noticed the way her eyes kept glaring at the limp tail of the dead hollow, and took a guess from there. Pulling her out from her arms, I did the same for the body of the dead hollow.

"Good job Lilynette." I said.

"T-Thank you." She said. "It only got me by surprise, that's all."

I quirked a smile at her. "It happens to the best of us."

Lilynette paused, a thoughtful look on her face that evolved into a radiant grin. "That mean I'm one of the best right?"

I didn't answer.

"Hey, c'mon answer me."

I didn't answer.

"Your silence tells it all." Lilynette laughed. "That stupid Apacci won't know what hit her when I tell her that you consider me one of the best!"

I sighed, turned, and left; Lilynette following closely behind.

We walked back to the hideout, Lilynette talking enthusiastically, and I conversing with her occasionally. Perhaps at that time I shouldn't have been so easy going, but then again why would I have bothered digging into the sand where the hollow had lay half-buried?

A head popped out from the sand behind us, its eyes staring at our retreating backs. Quietly so as not to be noticed, it sunk back deep beneath the sand.

* * *

Arriving back at the entrance of the cave, Lilynette shot in first; rushing to inform Starrk of her accomplishment. I followed in soon after, and laid the bodies of the day's meal next to a growing pile of them. Not to far off from said pile was Mila Rose licking her paw, and Apacci beside her, arguing something over with Sung-Sun.

"We win again Shirou." Mila Rose said. "I believe this makes it six to four."

"I believe it does, but then again it is one against three." I replied.

"But you have longer range." Mila Rose argued.

I conceded her point and turned a glance towards Apacci and Sung-Sun. A fierce battle of lightning seemed to be occuring at the point where their gazes met.

"What's that about?" I asked Mila Rose.

"There debating on who killed more hollows, but they both know I killed the most." She stated.

Apacci and Sung-Sun abruptly stopped, their gazes turning on Mila Rose simultaneously.

"My my Mila Rose, a good mannered woman would know better than to lie so openly." Sung-Sun said. "Perhaps if you defeated as much as I, that lie wouldn't seem so obvious."

"Or If you look carefully, you can see that I was the one to defeat a higher number than both of you." Apacci said haughtily.

I knew the direction this conversation was going, and promptly left. If there was one thing I knew about those three, they bicker frequently. Then again, maybe that's just what I see when they're in front of me.

Not to disturb them, I moved further into the cave where a narrow passage lead to a small pocket of space. There, I would spend my days with Starrk and Lilynette. Occasionally, Harribel, Apacci, Mila Rose and Sung-Sun would come over from the area located adjacent from ours. When those times came, it was always entertaining to say the least.

* * *

Over the following months, it didn't take long for Ulquiorra to get into confrontation with Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, Apacci, and Lilynette for he ignored them whenever they talked to him, or gave curt responses to end the conversation. I don't know why, but he doesn't interact with those he doesn't find interesting. His personality has much to be desired, but somehow over the course of the following months, he opened up to Lilynette- even if it was just idle conversation born from persistence. Perhaps it was due to his close proximity to her, Starrk, and I that drove him to question us of a certain matter, on a regular day.

"This feeling of lightness in my chest," Ulquiorra looked on towards us. "I don't understand it."

Starrk raised an eye as he pushed up from the rock he was leaning on. Off to the side, Lilynette stopped dragging a moderate sized boulder which I knew she was probably going to drop on Starrk to get him off his ass.

"What do you mean?" I asked slightly confused.

"Over the past few days I have had this sense of appeasement flowing through me. I having done nothing to warrant it."

"Isn't that just cause your happy?" Lilynette said as she sat criss-cross on top of the boulder she was dragging.

"Happiness?" Ulquiorra said, face remaining impassive. "Impossible."

"Then how would you explain the feeling within your chest?" Starrk asked, eyes trained lazily on Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra remained silent

"Perhaps the answer will come in time." I said helpfully. "But for now, I have to go hunting for more food. It wouldn't do to not do our part after all." Left unsaid was the fact that Apacci would probably hold it over my head that I was a good for nothing.

Lilynette glared at Starrk, her eyes promising violence.

Starrk waved Lilynette off, before all the same surprising even me with his next actions. He stood up, a hand to cover his yawn as his other motioned for Lilynette to come over. She happily complied, loosing her glare in the process.

"What a pain." Starrk complained, but received another glare from Lilynette. He sighed and began walking towards the entrance of the cave, Lilynette following closely behind him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Hunting." Starrk replied languidly. "You can stay for once."

Before I could voice my opinion, Starrk and Lilynette disappeared in a buzz of speed. Leaving me and Ulquiorra in the alone in the hideout since Harribel was out doing her own hunting for she could not allow herself to do nothing all day like Starrk. Similarly, Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sung-Sun were also hunting.

I felt Ulquiorra's gaze on me, and turned around. He stood there, watching my every move like I would give some sort of answer to fulfill his deepest desires. Sadly I had none, and found myself sweating at the intensity of his gaze. I sighed before taking in a deep breath and moving towards Ulquiorra.

"We can at least make ourselves useful." I said, leading him towards the back end of the cave where it abruptly cuts off into a wall of mineral rock. "Where gonna blast hole into the wall to make another room."

"Another room?" Ulquiorra inquired.

"Yup, yours." I charged a cero, and shot it at the wall; creating a crater that let off a trail of smoke.

Ulquiorra nodded his head and began to help out.

Numerous hours passed before we had finished making the room sizable enough for Ulquiorra. Numerous hours passed and no one had yet to return, but considering how far Harribel's hunting ground is, it wasn't too unexpected.

For Starrk, I could guess as to the reason, Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sung-Sun on the other hand I could not. I should have known better, now that I think about it; that they not returning would be the first sign of danger. Then again, I only took action when I felt a burst of Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose's spiritual pressure sky rocket then quickly die down.

They were near me, but far from both Harribel and Starrk's locations. I would be a fool if I said I didn't feel the spiritual pressure of various other hollows near them, but I didn't care at the time.

Walking to the entrance of the cave, I was stopped by Ulquiorra.

"You're being illogical. Based on the amount of hollows I'm detecting- a few even Adjuchas level, this is obviously a trap." He stated rather callously.

"Even so, I must go."

"You'll die."

I walked passed Ulquiorra, the sounds of my steps echoing throughout the chamber of the cave.

"Even so, I will still go because they are my friends."

"Friends?" Ulquiorra said as he seemed to be mulling the statement in his head, but revealed no reaction other than the sound of his breath. "I don't understand. Why would you risk your life for a friend?"

"Sometimes Ulquiorra, actions are not meant to be understood, however unreasonable they may be. After all, if the tables were turned and you were in danger, no matter the situation, I would come to save you. For you too are my friend."

I left without turning back, my spirit indomitable, my goal ahead of me.

* * *

If the raging wind around me was the symbol of my growing apprehension, then the torrent of spiritual pressure I was leaking out was my determination. The sand cratered beneath my steps as boulders were violently pushed away, or forced deeper into the ground.

One might call me brave, while others might call me an idiot, but then again, I was trying to divert all attention onto myself. Even now as I continued my charge, I felt the fluctuations of spiritual pressure in the area ahead. I had to hurry, had to arrive in time.

In a burst of speed, I cleared the top of the tallest dune of sand, and rocketed into the air; my hands drawing back and firing a multitude of arrows in front of me.

Like a rain of death, arrow upon arrow of spiritual energy descended from above and onto the group of diverse hollows ahead; barring a circle around the injured bodies of Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci. Any hollow that tried to approach was quickly dealt with by a literal wall of veritable eradication.

At the apex of my leap, I rocketed down at the center of my attack in the eye of the storm. Landing with a tremor, I glared at the hollows around me, my eyes fierce and penetrating.

Glancing back at Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun, anger welled within me like a crimson inferno. They were covered in their own blood, various lacerations on their bodies that even I could not simply shrug off.

Teeming with righteous fury, my spiritual energy skyrocketed once again; blowing away the dust from the impact of my arrows and landing. Tinges of dark-red, lined my hues of blue, my eyes radiating an ominous yellow.

The hollows around me strained against the overbearing pressure on their shoulders, their eyes frantically turning to one direction. Three hollows stood amongst the rest, their gazes unperturbed with the power ambient in the air- definitely Adjuchas. The one on the left looked menacing, a sleek grey body that resembled a twelve foot wolf in humanoid form; a diagonal scar running across its abdomen. As for the one in the right- he looked like a weasel, period. The last however, was far bigger than both the other two combined, its body bulky and containing a small likeliness to a hippo with the arms of a man.

I turned towards them, muscles tensed for sudden action.

"Leave." I said sternly, my voice laced with a hidden undertone of animosity. "Before I kill you."

The three Adjuchas laughed, their voices carrying across the distance.

"Do you think we fear you, little bowman?" They laughed again. "No, we fear lord Barragan, and failure means certain death. That we tell you, is true fear."

I relaxed my muscles, training my eyes on the three who stood before me, and readied a massive cero at the end of my finger tips. The world dyed itself in blue laced with red tinges, an orb of condensed power at my beck and call.

"Cero." Time seemed to freeze as an almighty death beam of destructive power, barreled its way through scores of hollows in its path toward the three Adjuchas.

"Shirou...T-The one i-in the...C-Center...He's..." Apacci raised her voice, she and the others struggling to stand up.

The deafening noise of my attack cut her off, a giant shroom of debris flying high into the air. The hollows caught within the general blast radius were reduced to cinders, but through it all, when the dust cleared up, not a scratch could be found on the three hollows; the one in the middle- the hippo, having intercepted my cero with his own body; protecting the other two from the blunt force of the damage.

What? Impossible, to not have taken a single bit of damage. Quickly, I knocked another arrow, but my previous attack had set off the beginning of the battle.

In spear-head formation they charged at me; the veins visible from beneath their skin, pulsating with blood. I released the arrow in my hand, the motion producing a swift swishing noise that continued on until the arrow met its mark.

I lost sight of the three Adjuchas through the dust cloud created.

A large figure barreled past the smoke, two others behind him. Once again, my attack had been rendered null, the Adjuchas giving off vicious war cries into the air. I glanced back at my friends behind me.

Realizing that I couldn't leave my position, I had to find a different approach, or at least a method to draw the Adjuchas away.

Flashing into the air, I fired a test arrow at the Adjuchas charging in from the right.

Almost instantly, the three Adjuchas stopped, the hippo-like Adjuchas once again finding its way into the path of my arrow.

My eyes knitted closer together, thoughts and theories running rampant in my mind. I flashed to the left, and shot another arrow. Same result. Dubiously, I shot simultaneously from both the left and right to confirm the growing suspicion I began harbouring.

Like twin sparrows descending from the sky, two radiant beams of light arched down onto the two Adjuchas; straying a path away from the hippo-like Adjuchas.

Haunting screams echoed out from the throats of the hollows caught in the shock wave of the explosion produced; their bodies sent flying over Hueco Mundo's dunes.

The ground trembled beneath me; the form of the hippo-like Adjuchas laying flat on the ground having much to do with it.

I landed in front of Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun, my expression grim.

Two large arms pressed against the ground and lifted up the body attached to them.

The hippo-like Adjuchas appeared dazed as it got up; revealing the form of its two companions beneath him. Not a scratch could be seen.

I sprang into action, the balls of my feet leaving contact with the ground. In a split-second I had pulled back my arm and clenched my fist, I threw it forward with a force that knocked the fat hollow backwards when it connected. The dull thud and gasp of breath confirmed to me that I'd winded him- or did I?

Choked gasps soon became boisterous laughter that penetrated into my ears, resounding in them and enhancing the horrible tune. Unaffected, I struck relentlessly, my fists deforming the roundness of the Adjuchas's belly. Unexpectedly, the Adjuchas blocked my punch with a bulky arm and countered with an uppercut to my mid-body. It connected- barely.

Far from damaged due to the arm I held to my chest at the last second, I distanced myself from the three Adjuchas, but was pounded to the side by an unforeseen force. I bounced off the ground a couple times, creating a dragged impression on the sand.

Swiftly, I rolled, barely managing to maneuver out of the way of a strike aimed at my back. The scarred one stood over me, his gaze blood thirsty, his hands charging red ceros.

I retaliated, grabbing the end of my bow and using it to brush off my opponent's hands; deflecting the powered ceros over the nearest dune where an eruption of power sent a shroom cloud into the air.

I hooked my foot behind his ankle, and used it as leverage to power the kick I sent to shatter his knee.

The scarred hollow toppled, a pained grunt escaping from his mouth. My hands moved quickly, sending up sand into the air, and thrusting violently at the scarred hollow's unguarded neck.

The sound of scorching air filled my ears, a red cero directly in front of me by a mere meter. Pain registered throughout my systems, stemming all the way to my feet, and forcing the air out from my lungs.

Flying. I was flying across the battlefield, my eyes taking notice of a blurred figure descending on me like a bullet. Instinctively my arms went up, trying to grasp for something that was not there. Luckily, the motion was enough to snag a branch of a quarts coloured tree growing from the Forest of Menos.

Vision returning to me, I tracked the path of descent of the once blurred form of the scarred hollow. He stood before me, a crater beneath him at the area where I would have been had I continued in my trajectory.

The hollow stared at me before disappearing in burst of speed.

I dodged the blow aimed at my chest, an area I would not risk getting hit at; for it was there that I received the most injury- the area of detonation. Burns traveled up my body, my arms tinged with small flecks of black from the damage of the cero.

Numerous times I dodged, numerous times the scarred hollow hit. Always, I kept a constant eye towards the other two in case they made a move. They didn't appear to be at the moment, and as such I fought back.

I parried a strike to my liver and delivered a precise elbow to the lower jaw.

Thick saliva fell in droplets towards the ground, the scarred hollow's mandible slightly unhinged. Without a breath to spare, I continued my onslaught, pressing my gained ground.

As if to put an end to my confidence, the scarred hollow grabbed my leg, and threw me away.

Using a burst of spiritual energy, I stabilized myself mid-flight, and almost instantly, we were back at it again.

It finally stopped when I was once again in front of Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose. My breaths coming out in uneven pants, my body screaming in exhaustion. On the other hand, the scarred hollow looked just as, if not even more tired than I from his position by the the other two Adjuchas who had not deemed it necessary to move.

"Michelo, did not mention that this one was faster than me." The wolf like hollow with a scar said astutely.

"I agree I agree!" The weasel like hollow said excitedly.

"That doesn't matter Corbel, Bynan." The hippo-like Adjuchas said as he walked leisurely towards me, so sure of his victory. "Michelo was accurate about me being right for the job."

"Your the strongest Reiland!" The weasel like hollow said in praise as they followed.

I braced myself as I tried to contemplate a method to win, but my mind kept drawing circles. Yet I still had to find a way.

Motivation came to me in the forms of Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose behind me, their lives at stake being more than enough to draw upon the power within me. I released all the power that I could utilize, causing the weaker hollows around the battle field to flee in fear.

As the blue aura of power wrapping itself around me disappeared, and the hippo-like Adjuchas known as Reiland took another step, all hell broke loose. I felt a muscle in my right arm tear, my tendons in my wrist straining to lock my hand into a fist as I all but went berserker on Reiland- my main priority.

Power flowed through my arm, my fist making contact with Reiland's body and burying him to his waist in the sand. Ruthlessly, Reiland lashed out at me, a hand making to grab my form. He failed, a cero meeting his hand and blowing it back due to sheer force. I too was blown back by the force, but then again, that was what I had in mind.

I flew back, my back lightly touching the fine sand under me as I used my gained momentum to rocket towards the scarred hollow called Corbel.

I struck out a hand, digging it into the dirt and using it to pivot my center of gravity forward while I delivered a stunning axe-kick to Corbel's face. The downward force from my kick was enough to force me back into the air where I twirled and dive bombed from the sky right atop Reiland's form.

My right leg positioned in front of me, I shot a cero behind me to increase the speed of my decent; the wind picking up around me.

Like a missile falling from the sky similar to those depicted in famous Hollywood movies, I brought my leg back and released a battle cry. My foot made contact with Reiland's face; the impact produced burying him down to his neck in sand. A deafening sound of a crunch resounded for all to hear; the shock wave that blew Corbel and Bynan back, making the situation all the more real.

Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose could do little to mask their amazement as I stood atop Reiland's face, my gaze turning on Corbel and the other hollow named Bynan. Faint vibrations traveled up my leg, Reiland's head shaking in anger and from his futile attempts at resurfacing.

A small chip was evidently present on Reiland's mask, small, but there nonetheless.

Quickly, I flashed in front of Corbel and reduced him to ashes with a cero while I still held the advantage. For I knew that for all the effort I had just displayed, I had only been able to crack Reiland's mask. That, and the fast depletion of my spiritual energy was enough motivation to flash in front of Bynan, another cero in hand.

Catching Corbel off guard and ending him had been a stroke of good fortune, I felt nothing in ending him. Bynan however...He cowered before me, begging for his life to be spared. A rush of something made its way towards my mind, but I raised the cero to Bynan's face anyway, radiant blue energy waiting to be released.

* * *

_"I can't stray from my path for those I've left behind."_

* * *

I flinched, the blue light dimmed, and the cero in my had harmlessly imploding on itself and dissipating.

"Go, and never return." I said harshly, not in the mood to deal with whatever turmoil was brewing from within me.

Far from moving, Bynan stood rooted to his spot, his gaze frantically looking around, but never at me.

"S-Shirou...What are you doing!" Apacci and Mila Rose yelled, forcing their voices out from their throats as they continued the struggle to stand. "Finish him!"

I hesitated, and that was all it took. Bynan's gaze met with Reiland's and he stood petrified in shock, his body going rigid. Before I knew it, he tackled me, his body turning searing hot and morphing into a white slush that encircled me. The heat was mildy uncomfortable, but being unable to move my limbs was far more; the white slush hardening over them.

I struggled, trying to brake the hold Bynan had on my arms and legs, but only managing to gain slight movement of the latter. Stumbling, I could do nothing as a hollow emerged from the sand; digging up Reiland along with it.

"I didn't need your help Michelo." Reiland said.

"Really? By the looks of things, it would have taken you a considerable amount of time to escape, unless you used a cero. But then again, Lord Barragan wants one of them alive for questioning; you shouldn't very well kill them all by mistake." Michelo said as his form began retreating back under the sand. "I'll be reporting to Lord Barragan of your success, after all, Bynan has one captured. You can decide what to do with the rest."

"Coward." Reiland sneered. "Running away before a fight is unsightly, be that as it may, I cannot call this a fight no longer. You, your name is Shirou?"

I didn't reply.

Reiland walked in front of me, grabbed me by the head, and tossed me to the side. I rolled against the coarse ground, my back groaning in protest.

"I suppose it doesn't matter, but I commend your perception, and consequent tactics. It's not everyday that one finds and exploits one of my weaknesses."

Yes indeed. Through trial and error I had discovered that my spiritual and physical based attacks would not aide me. It was not that they didn't work, but more along the lines of too ineffective. For instance, if you threw a droplet of water at a thick wall of the most absorbent tissue, though it might dampen and in turn weaken, it would do relatively nothing to break it. Similarly, if you punched a ball of condensed foam, the general strength of one's punch would be mitigated to a smaller level. And that was exactly what was happening, whether it be from my ranged attacks which got absorbed to minimize damage, or my punches that sunk into Reiland's fat hide and got rebounded.

"Be happy that you're the one who gets to live," Reiland turned his attention on Mila Rose, Apacci, and Sun-Sun. "As for them...they will die."

My eyes widened. No! I will can't let them die!

I clenched my fists, I tore at my restraints to the point that it pained me to continue, and yet I persisted. When I found that my efforts did nothing, I resolved myself to what was to come. I stood shakily on my feet, and using what little mobility I had gained beforehand, I threw myself at Reiland.

Initially, he staggered, but he quickly corrected himself and batted me to the side, continuing on. But I was relentless, not letting him take a single step further and barring his path with my body.

"I do suppose a little retribution is in order, after all I owe you for chipping my mask." Reiland said.

For every hit that I endured, for every injury I attained, it was all meaningless to me. My body grew numb, the sound of my bones fracturing evident for all to hear. Whenever I felt a shout build up from within my mouth, I clamped down on it, whenever I even thought about fainting, I snuffed it out. There was nothing that could break my will, but still, I pondered the reason why I thought so little of my life. Perhaps it was because of that man who found me in the fire, or perhaps it was just because of a selfish reason. It didn't matter, all that did was what happened hear and now!

"AHHH!" I yelled, pushing my body back on its feet to once again impede Reiland's progress.

The amusement that was evident on Reiland's face began to distort into clear annoyance.

"Get out of my way!"

"...Never," Blood spurted out of my mouth, my eyes still full of resistance. "...I won't let you hurt them!"

Reiland's eyes turned cold, the mirth fading away to blankness.

"Then die."

A fist smashed against my face, pounding me into the ground before a foot stomped down on my chest. Another blow to my face had me seeing stars, but the pressure exuded on my chest was far worse.

"If only you had kept to the side, but I suppose it's a good thing I have more than you to choose from."

Reiland's gaze locked onto mine as a smile crept its way onto his face. Bringing a hand up, he aimed for my neck.

"Any last words?"

I spoke nothing.

"Pity."

The hand descended on me, its speed unrelenting. My eyes opened and face set in determination I waited for death's embrace. When a burnt orange light filled my vision, I had assumed that it was the transition stage to a better place, but a familiar shout all but destroyed that notion.

"Get the fuck off of him!"

Emilou Apacci. Her form above me, she had rammed her antlers into Reiland's side after Mila Rose had shot off a cero to distract him. Thankfully, it was enough to knock him off of me so that Sung-Sun was free to pull me towards her with her tail.

"...Look at you," She said as she inspected my body with a worried gaze. "I can't understand why you would do this for us, but I can worry about that later. For now, I'm just going to apologize in advance." A pink cero formed at the front of her face, showering me in its light. "This will hurt a bit."

I couldn't help but groan as pain flooded through my already damaged body once again. Yet it wasn't me who screamed the loudest.

"AHH!" Bynan screamed, his form writhing on the ground before being pulverized under Mila Rose's clawed paws.

"What a sorry excuse of an Adjuchas." Mila Rose scoffed before her eyes narrowed. Not a moment later she disappeared to minimize the damage Apacci would have received from Reiland who threw her at are direction. Cushioning her fall, Mila Rose appeared beside me and Sun-Sun; Apacci carried on a paw.

"Bastard." Apacci said before turning her gaze on Mila Rose. "Let go of me."

Mila Rose let go, and Apacci fell towards the ground, landing on her feet, but her stance was wobbly. She swayed from side to side as did the rest; their injuries impeding their mobility.

My body ached all over, but I stood up once again.

"...Thank you." I managed to get out.

Acknowledging me, they nodded their head in my direction.

"Do you really think that your resistance would make any difference?" Reiland asked.

"Do you really think that I could take you seriously with a body like that- yuck." Sung-Sun said. "I mean, look at that flab."

Reiland smiled eerily.

"You die first."

My eyes widened, my body moved on its own. Arms out in front of me in a cross shape, I was blown back by the impact of Reiland's fist that was aimed at Sung-Sun.

Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun's eyes widened, but they did not stand idly by. As I mitigated my momentum by distributing the excess force into the ground through my feet, they pounced on Reiland. Mila Rose's jaws bit down hard on Reiland's forearm, puncturing it with the sharpness of her teeth. Apacci likewise, punctured her antlers into Reiland's side, spilling blood. Sung-Sun coiled her body around Reiland and began to constrict him, using her snake-like form to her advantage.

Stopping, I too charged in, aiming a strike towards Reiland's unguarded face. Connecting, I followed up with a spin kick in the same spot.

"Enough!" Reiland yelled.

Grabbing Sung-Sun by the neck, he ripped her off of his body and threw her to the side. She lay on the ground unmoving.

"Sung-Sun!" I yelled out, but couldn't reach her as I was forced to maneuver past a blow to my chest.

"You bastard!" Apacci yelled, a red cero charging in the middle of her antlers. With a heave of her head, Apacci released her cero. Reiland was dyed in a brilliant shade of red, the smoke produced covering the area.

"It's useless."

A hand shot through the smoke and grabbed onto Apacci's leg. A sickening snap resounded for all to hear, even the hollows who were fleeing stopped and turned to witness the scene. Apacci fell screaming, her leg broken, the white bone peaking out.

"Apacci!" Mila Rose yelled.

I charged in, rearing my arm back to deliver a blow. Twisting, I struck Reiland's temple with my elbow, staggering him back a few steps as I pulled Apacci and Sung-Sun to safety. They were breathing, Apacci still conscious enough to curse at her lack of strength. But at what cost?

Reiland didn't come after me, no; he went after Mila Rose who stood across from him instead. Caught off guard, Mila Rose could do nothing but watch as Reiland punched a hole into her side.

Blood showered into the air, Mila Rose fell to the ground, her breaths heavily laboured. Nonetheless, she pushed on. Placing her palms beneath her, she pushed up and released a roar of defiance, even as she staggered on her feet.

I appeared in front of her just as Reiland began to approach her once again, and moved her beside Apacci and Sung-Sun; she fell unconscious immediately after.

Damn it! Why am I so useless? I stared down at my fists, frustrated that they weren't sharp spears that I could use to penetrate Reiland's portly hide.

Reiland dashed towards us, a deep laugh being produced from his vocal cords.

I tensed my muscles, flooding them with spiritual energy in a process I've labelled as 'reinforcement.' Strength flooded through me, my vitality growing along with it.

Reiland was close enough to throw a punch. I watched closely, time seeming to last an eternity.

I need a weapon! A weapon that will let me fight. A powerful weapon. An image of a man siting atop a hill of swords flashed before my eyes, his back was towards me, but for a moment he had turned in my direction. His white hair blew in the wind, his eyes downcast as if in solemn prayer. In his hands was pair of swords...

"Trace on!"

Teal coloured lightning arched from my hands, the tendrils of electricity frying the ground.

"Aaahhh!" I clasped my hands, a blaze of black and gold tinged with red elongating and taking form.

In a clash of sparks, Reiland's fist was blocked along with his subsequent attacks; the impact of my counter strikes pushing him back.

Reiland stood across from me, stunned by the new predicament. A wound opened up on his side, cut so cleanly that the pink of his skin could be seen beneath.

I stared coldly at Reiland's form, fading from sight in the next moment and delivering another wound to his kidney area. Thereafter, I struck numerous times, in various places. Blood soon littered the sand, streaks of black and white fading in and out of view like a dance of sparrows.

"Damn it. Fight like a man!" Reiland yelled, his arms thrashing about wildly in hopes of catching me.

Unexpectedly, Reiland connected with an un-timely flail of his left arm. The wind was knocked out of me, my lungs feeling as if they were about to catch fire. I had no choice but to stop and catch my breath.

For a moment, all stood still. Whether it be Apacci who was speechless at the spectacle before her, Reiland who was re-orientating himself, or even myself, none made the slightest movement. That all changed when Reiland yelled out in fury, charging at me like a blind animal.

Brandishing the twin blades in my hands, one of the darkest black and the other of the purest white, I struck with precision. A blade aimed for Reiland's jugular while another aimed for his torso.

Blade met flesh at dazzling speeds, the sound of metal grinding filtering into my ears. It was then that I realized that something was wrong. A pair of two hands cuffed my ankles and held me in place as a fist found its way towards my sturnum.

Crack.

Bone shattered, fragments falling towards the ground to be swallowed by the sand. Blood rushed through my throat, forcing its way out of my mouth to produce a dreadful shower of red.

"HAHAHA!" Reiland laughed in triumph. "How useful Michelo."

"You shouldn't have needed my help." Michelo said, his head peaking from beneath the sand. "You owe me for coming back, you know how impatient Lord Baraggan gets."

"I owe nothing to a coward."

"Then don't expect my help again. Ever."

Reiland grumbled to himself as Michelo left, regretting his previous outburst.

I fell to my knees, unable to breath properly. My insides burned as if every movement I made was rubbing off against sand paper. I gritted my teeth and peered up just in time to get kicked in the face.

My body grew numb as I tumbled nealy half a kilometer away, particles of sand and dust sticking to my wounds and igniting the pain once more.

Damn it! I have to get up, I can't let it end here! My grip around the swords in my hands tightened, my fingers leaving gauges into the ground. LIke a warrior returning alive, I shakily got on my feet, despite the rapid protest of my body. In the end however, my body gave out on me, my knees buckling and forcing me back onto the ground.

Reiland appeared in front of me...

"Shirou!" Apacii yelled. She blasted cero after cero at Reiland's back, each cero weaker than the last as exhaustion began to take her over. Reiland ignored them, his attention so focused on me.

"And now you die."

Lifting a foot, Reiland stomped down with all the force he could muster.

A shadow descended over me, a shocked grunt coming out of Reiland's mouth.

Wings of sleek black stretched themselves outwards, revealing dark leather like flaps that beat wind against my body. There appeared a form as white as snow, a gaze as apathetic as an animal walking on morning grass, and an extended hand clutching at the sole of Reiland's foot. With a flick of a wrist, Reiland was thrown back at neck breaking speeds.

"Human emotion, I cannot comprehend it."

Verdant green eyes glanced unperturbed at Reiland's direction, untamed black locks of hair swaying from side to side.

"Logic does not dictate it, life does not require it."

A hand was gently raised, index finger pointed out.

"It cannot be seen, it cannot be felt."

A vortex of green light gathered to a single point, a sphere coming into creation. Turbulent streams of spiritual energy blew back all in their way, a crater forming at an area where once there was nothing but fine sand.

"As such...I find this situation to be the fault of your own callousness. But,"

A beam of green light traveled the distance to Reiland in an instant, enveloping him in its intense power.

"It wouldn't be in my best interests to let you die now." Verdant eyes turned their gaze on me, standing in stark contrast to the subsequent shock wave and shroom cloud in the distance. "After all, y-"

"-Fool! As if a cero would work on me!" Reiland yelled, body exiting the dust cloud. Burns traveled up his body, the wounds I had inflicted cauterized and smoking. "It's my ability you see. Spiritual energy is absorbed through my skin which I can then use to fuel my power or harmlessly distribute it to the ground. You have no chance of winning."

Verdant eyes stared indifferently at Reiland, a hand once again lifting up.

Comforted with his ability, Reiland charged in once again, fist pumped back to maximize power.

A fist descended down, a hand went up. Reiland's hand was blocked, thereafter a finger was pointed at his face.

"Cero."

The only word that would come to mind after witnessing such a scene was annihilation. A cero as violent as a raging rapid shot out into the horizon, vaporizing Reiland where he stood.

I could do nothing but gawk at the overwhelming display of power. Gathering my wits, I pushed myself onto my back, the fatigue building up within me. I just wanted to close my eyes and let myself fall into blissful unconsciousness, but I turned my dreary gaze at the one who had arrived and helped.

"Thanks...Ulquiorra."

He didn't respond, just nodded his head.

As all was silent, a violent spiritual pressure descended on the area. Agitation, anger, and concern was evident for all to feel. Harribel had arrived; Starrk and Lilynette appearing soon after.

Starrk was over me in an instant, his normally relaxed face broken due to the seriousness of his eyes. A pair of hands tapped me by the arm, and then by my leg after I winced in pain. Lilynette did not seem to know what to do; hesitant to touch me where it would hurt. Her hands lingered over my chest before finding their way to grasp at my hands.

"W-What do I do S-Starrk." Lilynette fumbled with her words, her gaze glancing constantly at me and Starrk.

Starrk had no definite answer, a frown forming on his face.

My eyes grew weary, my eyelids closing over them. Slowly I began to drift into unconsciousness, Lilynette's insistent pleading for me to stay awake, doing little to stop the process.

* * *

When next I opened my eyes, it was to the sight of a vibrant orange sky, and the feeling of dirt under me. Getting up on my feet, I looked around at the world of blades around me that stretched on for an eternity.

Where am I?

A strong gust of wind blew, and I involuntarily shut my eyes. Opening them, I found myself at the bottom of a hill of swords, my gaze drifting towards the top. There sat a man, his broad shouldered back being all the more pronounced as he carefully pushed off his knees and stood up.

"C** *** h*** *e." The man's lips were moving, but I could not make out what he was saying.

The man sighed, and motioned to me with a hand. Warily, I made my way towards him, my steps echoing off the ground.

The closer I came, the more defined the man's features became. White hair stood up on end, solemn black eyes piercing into me, and a red overcoat blocking my view of another two individuals who sat behind him. A hand was placed gently on my head.

"They are calling you." The man said.

Startled that I could suddenly understand him, I didn't realize that my body had begun rapidly fading away until I had vanished completely.

* * *

The man who sat alone atop a hill of swords turned towards the two behind him, a hint of curiosity entering his eyes. Holding up a blade of the darkest black, and a blade of the purest white, he examined them carefully before setting them aside.

"_Who_ are you?" The man asked.

The two other individuals nodded their heads to each other, a smile adorning their faces.

"We are the ones who's names reached the imperial Vila, who's strength ripped the mountains and split the water. We are the ones who could not hold the heavens together..."

"I am Kanshou-"

"-And I am Bakuya."

* * *

I awoke with a startle, jumping to my feet; the sudden movement eliciting a groan to escape my mouth. More than anything however, it alerted those who were beside me that I had awakened.

Starrk stared directly at me, a relieved expression playing out on his face.

"It's been two weeks Shirou." Starrk said. "You would not believe how much effort I had put in to keep Lilynette away from you to let you recover."

"Has it really been that long?" I asked.

"More than you know." Harribel answered.

Harribel walked up to me and bowed her head.

"Thank you. For saving Apacci, Sung-Sun, and Mila Rose." Harribel lifted her head, her eyes seeming to see me in a new light. "They have been quite agitated as of late, asking numerous times for your condition."

"And they couldn't have just visited?"

"Not with Ulquiorra guarding the entrance to this area stating that it was impractical to allow nuisances in."

Starrk yawned and made his way out of the room that I was recovering in, probably on his way to inform Lilynette of my recovery.

"Shirou, there is something I have to tell you." Harribel said.

"Yes?"

"We've agreed to meet up with Baraggan. We can't risk something like this happening again."

* * *

**And here ends this installment.**

For those curious about Kanshou and Bakuya, you'll have to wait for it to be explained in an update.

As for Ulquiorra who I've introduced this chapter, I feel as if the beginning in which he chooses to stay with Shirou and Co, is a bit far fetched, but for the sake of the story, please just go with it. As for why it may seem as if Ulquiorra is suicidal at the beginning, I based it off on the official Wikipedia since he's lamenting the existence of his life. Well I'll repeat it again, please just go with it.

At the battle scene, Shirou didn't get beaten because he was weak. He got beaten because he was taken by surprise at the end and was left too damaged to fight back properly.

Reiland the hippo-like Adjuchas: Blunt attacks do not work since his body is able to rebound the damage. Spiritual based attacks are able to be absorbed and used to fuel his power to an extent, otherwise he distributes the rest elsewhere. If he is unable to, he will get damaged, like how he died at the hands of Ulquiorra. Piercing attacks and sharp objects work since they can tear/pierce through skin.

Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun, aside from freeing Shirou, weren't of much help in the fight this chapter since they were already damaged before hand.

For those waiting for updates on other stories, you may have to wait awhile since my brain just keeps producing thoughts on bleach. Whenever I'm writing bits and pieces of the other stories, my mind drifts and my concentration dwindles. As such I'm waiting for a time when I feel like writing an update for those stories so that I can write to the best of my ability, not halfheartedly. I'm sorry if this will upset a few of you, but I'd rather write something I feel is good then half-baked.

Thanks for reading.

-Parcasious


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